#how to earn travel budget

[the-badger-mole]

Father of the Bride

Hakoda swallowed hard against a lump in his throat. He had imagined this day so many times since Katara's birth. The details were different, though. She wasn't marrying a proven warrior from among their people. That was fine. She had spent so much time traveling the world, expanding her horizons, creating her own paths. Hakoda didn't think there were one in a thousand men at home who could keep up with the woman his daughter had become, and he had resigned himself to the fact that she might not end up with a Southern Tribe man years ago.

But he hadn't considered that her marriage might take her so permanently from home. A foolish oversight on his part, he admitted. And at least she would have the means to visit her family a few times a year. Still, he felt a pang. Same one he felt when he left his children behind with Kanna to go fight a war too big for him. Now that pang was tempered with bittersweet happiness as he watched the final preparations being made on Katara's wedding gown-a stunning piece of art even to Hakoda's untrained eye. All silks and linens in shades of blue and silver that recalled the bridal outfits of her homeland. Furs and leathers would be too hot for the climate, but Katara wanted to tell everyone up front how she would bring her own culture to merge with her new people. Her groom-to-be not only supported this decision, but had come to Hakoda and Sokka to ask them how he, too, could incorporate the Southern Water Tribe into the wedding on his end. That had been a long night, with strong drinks and stronger emotions, but at the end of it, Hakoda had decided that despite his initial misgivings about the marriage, he couldn't have picked a better son-in-law than Zuko.

Fire Lord Zuko. Fire Lord Zuko was going to be his son-in-law. Sometimes the thought made Hakoda chuckle. Sometimes it sent a chill down his spine. Not that he was worried about Zuko himself, but Katara's proximity to his throne. The crown. She would be coronated the next night in a ceremony as lavish as the wedding. She would become the Fire Lady. Co-ruler of the country that had spent a hundred years ruining countless lives with a war over something as silly as imperialist pride. Hakoda didn't think they deserved his daughter. If Zuko had earned his trust and respect, the rest of the Fire Nation certainly haven't. Not the nobles, anyway. When he brought them up to Katara, she laughed, though it didn't reach her eyes, which were flint hard and grimly determined. She told him no matter where she went in the world, she would have to fight for any respect she got. At least here she would have Zuko fighting beside her. Hakoda wasn't sure he agreed that was a worthy trade off, but he knew better than to try to talk his daughter out of it.

The Fire Nation had already benefited from her presence. As a foreign advisor, she had fostered trade and exchange agreements between the Fire Nation and all of the Water Tribes, Omashu and Gaoling. As an ambassador, she'd helped negotiate reparation packages that have helped the parts of the world hit hardest by the war recover. As one of Zuko's most trusted counselors, she'd helped him work the Fire Nation's budget so the government could provide for education, health and services for returning soldiers. The same kinds of programs she'd helped Hakoda and Sokka build in the Southern Water Tribe. It suddenly struck Hakoda that she had been acting as Fire Lady for a long time. Before she and Zuko had even realized they were in love, maybe. Today and tomorrow would just make it official. Hakoda still didn't think the Fire Nation deserved a Katara, but any chance he had of talking her out of it had long since slipped by him. And he now he wasn't sure he would talk her out of it, even if he did have the chance.

The final touches were done. The maids stepped back in a flurry of excited chatter. Kanna stepped forward, moving stiffly in her old age, smiling up at her granddaughter through tears. She had had this moment with Kya years ago, and Kya should be standing in her place now. Kanna reached out and ran her fingertips over the necklace she had passed to her daughter, and her daughter had passed on to Katara. Kya was here, Kanna assured herself. And Kya would be here with Katara as she made these next steps, first as a wife, then as a queen, then someday as a mother and grandmother herself.

"She would be so proud," Kanna told Katara. The two women embraced. Then Katara stood up, head high and looking as regal as any queen in any nation ever had, and turned to Hakoda.

"Are you ready, Dad?" she asked. Hakoda shook his head.

"I was never going to be ready for this," he confessed. "But it doesn't matter. You are ready."

[roosterforme]

The Intern Part 3 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley had an easy way about him that you appreciated. Working for him all summer sounded promising, and you were determined to make it fun for both of you. But as you dipped your toes into getting to know one another on the flights from San Diego to Lisbon, you ended up closer to him than you ought to be, both conversationally and physically.

Warnings: Language, brief mention of drugs (eventually 18+)

Length: 4900 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader

The Intern masterlist. Check out my masterlist for more. Banner by @mak-32

"I still can't believe someone is paying me fifty thousand dollars to spend my summer on a yacht," you mused as the private Cessna jet gained altitude over the California desert landscape. 

Bradley turned and looked at you from his plush leather seat across the narrow aisle and smirked. "You needed the money that badly?"

"Don't play games," you told him, and he laughed. "My point is, I would have done this for free just to get Ted off my back."

His fingers tightened a bit on his armrest, knuckles growing white as he closed his eyes and said, "Now you tell me. My department budget could be looking a lot fatter right now if it wasn't for you."

You could feel the airplane leveling out as the flight attendant, a woman named Melissa, stood and made her way back toward the two of you. "Oh please," you groaned, earning one of those grins from him that made you feel light inside. "I know how much the shareholders make, Mr. Bradshaw. It's not like it's not listed on the Nasdaq Composite if you dig deep enough."

"Can I get anything for either of you?" Melissa asked. 

"I'll take an Old Fashioned, please. Hold the cherries," you replied while Bradley just shook his head in a jerky motion.

When Melissa disappeared behind the black curtain, you asked, "Why are you so tense? Have a drink and relax."

He huffed out a laugh. "It's eight in the morning. A drink is not going to help me."

You leaned a little closer, and his gaze definitely dipped down to your unzipped sweatshirt. "Don't tell me you're into something harder?" you asked, already thinking you'd be disappointed by his answer. You'd been there and done that. Hung out with and dated guys who were users, and it was not something you wanted to be around. Even out of your sorority sisters, there were only a handful who weren't high all week during grad school.

Bradley looked at you with alarm. "I'm absolutely not going to allow drugs on the yacht, Ivy League."

"Good," you replied right away, already feeling more at ease as Melissa dropped off your cocktail. "Thank you."

But she was looking at Bradley now as she said, "Please let me know if I can get you... anything."

He waved her off as you took a sip of your mediocre cocktail. Melissa had gone a little heavy handed with the bitters, probably because she was too focused on your hot boss to measure things correctly. "Take a sip," you told him, reaching across the aisle with your glass. "You look like you need it."

He grunted and accepted the drink, and a few seconds later, he had downed the whole thing. "Thanks," he whispered. "I hate this part of traveling to Europe for Avio. The flights are going to take forever."

You narrowed your eyes at him and took back your empty glass while he white knuckled the armrest again. "You were an aviator, Mr. Bradshaw."

When he looked at you again, his cheeks were a little flushed as he softly said, "You don't have to call me that. Bradley is fine." 

"Bradley," you said with a smile, and his face softened a little bit. "Why don't you like the Cessna? I mean, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also hoping for something at least a little more luxurious from Avio, but it's not that bad."

He shook his head at you, something you were pretty sure you were just going to have to get used to for the summer. But his mustache twitched as he licked his lips and said, "Maybe chartered flights are normal for you, Ivy League, but I got used to being the pilot. Of something much less comfortable than a Cessna Hemisphere. So this just feels inherently wrong to me. I mean, I just drank a cocktail."

"Inhaled," you corrected. "And technically it was my cocktail," you said, waving to Melissa and holding up the glass and two fingers.

"Semantics," he grunted. "I miss my Super Hornet right now. Not only were there no drinks, there wasn't even a bathroom."

You watched Melissa duck behind the curtain again, probably to forget how to make a cocktail again. "Well, we'll be there soon," you told Bradley.

"I doubt these pilots can do Mach 2, so not fast enough for me."

You sighed, knowing this would probably be a lot easier for him if you could get him to drink a second Old Fashioned, but when Melissa dropped two more of them off, they were both garnished with a cherry. "I asked you to hold the cherries."

"Oh, yes. Sorry," Melissa muttered. "I can remove it for you."

"I'm allergic, so I'll actually need you to remake mine," you replied, and Bradley started to hand his back as well.

"Remake hers, and mine too," he grunted, suddenly looking far less nervous about the flight as he made to stand up. "Fresh glasses and everything. I don't want cherries anywhere near her." You looked up at him in surprise as he kind of rolled his eyes and followed Melissa. "I'll make sure she does it right," he whispered, and you watched him walk up to the curtain, as confident as he usually was.

"Thanks," you replied, even though nobody was there to hear you now. Well, he had promised he'd do everything he could to keep you safe and comfortable. You watched as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, and you pressed your lips together. That blue Oxford shirt was the exact best color he could possibly wear, and you wondered if he knew it or if it was an accident that he chose it.

When he met your eyes, you didn't look away. You didn't really care if he knew you were checking him out. Until you did. Because when he walked back with two new drinks, you realized how little you knew about him. "Here," he grunted, voice deep and raspy. Then he clinked his glass to yours before sinking back into the aisle seat opposite yours again and buckling his seatbelt once more. 

"Thanks for doing that."

He smiled at you. "Can't lose my intern on her first day. Especially since I've never had one before."

You perked up, loving that you'd cornered the market. "I'm your first intern?"

"Yeah." He was back to downing his drink and looking miserable now, practically throwing the empty glass aside in favor of gripping the armrest. Abandoning your drink after one sip, you stood and stepped over his outstretched legs, his eyes following your every move as you eased yourself down into the window seat next to him. "You okay?" he asked, looking a little amused now that you were just inches away from him.

"I am, but you're not," you told him with an air of authority. "Just relax," you added as you took his hand from the armrest and held it in both of yours. His brown eyes went a little wider, and his lips parted like he wanted to say something. Probably question what you were doing. But you said, "You'll feel better in a few minutes," as you worked your thumbs along the pressure points in his big, rough palm. And then he closed his eyes and without a word, he leaned back in his seat with his hand cradled in yours. Soon he was sound asleep.

-----------------------

Bradley woke up to an almost pleasant humming sound all around him. His hand was warm and wrapped up in something soft, and when he opened his eyes, your face was just a few inches from his as you slept. His body thrummed with something akin to desire as you pursed your haughty lips in your sleep, long lashes grazing your perfect cheeks. 

Shit. His hand was resting on your body, fingers tangled up with yours and wrapped in your designer hoodie. His knuckles were pressed to the soft skin which was exposed between your high waisted pants and your damn sports bra. And based on the way the plane was started to descend, he'd taken a five fucking hour nap all cuddled up with his intern. With Ted's goddamn daughter.

Hands off. He'd been telling himself to keep his hands off of you, and just a few hours in, he was literally doing the exact opposite. But you'd been sweet to him, carefully massaging the pressure points in his hand until he was able to fall asleep. You must have drifted off then, too. And now he was loath to remove his hand from your body or look away from you.

He needed another fucking drink. Or several. He leaned carefully over you, and sure enough, he could see the New York skyline coming into view through the small window. And he could smell your perfume. And that was when you opened your eyes, immediately sitting up a few inches and nearly bumping noses with him.

"Sorry," he grunted. "I was just trying to see where we were."

"Where are we?" you asked, your voice soft and a little rough from sleep. Jesus, he liked the way that sounded. 

"Almost to New York. Want me to ask the pilot to circle back to Philly so you can wave to your alma mater?"

You laughed and sat up a little more, arching your back, but you didn't immediately let go of him. "No, thank you. I've only been gone for a week, so I'm sure the City of Brotherly Love is enjoying this break."

Bradley found himself continually laughing at your words, but now you were looking at his hand all linked with yours, so he started to pull his free. You didn't stop him, and when you looked up at him, you even asked, "Did you sleep okay?"

He nodded his head once. "I did. Thank you. For making me feel better."

You sat up the rest of the way and stretched, and he had to look away as you said, "A good intern is good at everything."

Your words weren't dirty, so why the hell were his thoughts? He should be trying to find out more about your father, not imagining you wearing a fluffy white bathrobe while you drank an Old Fashioned sans cherry next to his bed. He was miles away in his mind when the plane touched down on the runway before taxiing to the refueling spot. His stomach was growling wildly now as Melissa walked back and offered them a very late lunch. 

"I didn't want to interrupt anything," she said, looking between you and Bradley like the two of you had been all over each other. When she turned away to get the salads and sandwiches ready, you climbed over him to use the bathroom, and Bradley watched you ignore a phone call as you went. He also realized that he'd have to tread very carefully around potential clients over the next few weeks. It was one thing for Melissa to make a comment like that, but it would be something entirely different if a line like that got back to Ted.

While the plane was refueled and the pilots switched places for the longer flight from New York to Portugal, you and he ate in companionable silence. You'd returned to your seat across the aisle, and you ignored another call before tucking your phone away in your bag. Bradley also used this time to drink a gin and tonic in the hopes he'd be able to sleep again, slightly afraid you wouldn't join him on his side of the aisle to make him feel cozy again. 

"We'll be taking off again in five minutes," Melissa informed him as she cleared away the meal and brought pillows and blankets. Your phone was out again now, and you ignored yet another call as Bradley shook his head.

"Are you going to keep me up at all hours of the night on the yacht yelling at your little boyfriend on the phone?"

You scoffed and looked right at him as you said, "I don't date little boys. Are you going to keep me up calling your wife and kids back in San Diego?"

He didn't want to laugh at the way you talked to him and kept him on his toes. He also registered that the way you'd let him hold your hand while he slept had only come from a platonic place if you were just now asking if he was married. "I don't have a wife or kids."

"Why not?" you asked, leaning on your armrest with your tits smashed together. "You could be married. If you wanted. You're tall and you have all your hair."

"Are those the only prerequisites?" he asked, trying not to look anywhere other than at your face. God, your little bikinis were going to be the absolute death of him if he didn't get fucking laid soon.

"No," you replied without missing a beat. "You're smart, too. Handsome. Tons of money. And you seem nice. Good manners. You make me laugh. Seems like someone would have snapped you up off the market by now."

His cheeks felt warm again as he tried to figure out how to answer. You'd just complimented him nine different ways, and he was reeling a bit. "Because I was in the Navy. Nobody in their right mind would trust a Navy guy with that level of commitment."

"Why not?"

"They lie and they cheat," he said, repeating the lines women had been telling him since he was twenty two. "Nobody you'd want to settle down with."

But you didn't look convinced as your smile tilted a little higher on one side. "Are you a cheater?"

He knew somehow he wouldn't get away with speaking anything but the plain truth to you from here on out. "No."

"I didn't think so." You looked satisfied as you settled back in your seat, about to snuggle under your blanket. The sky was a little darker now, and there was nothing below except for the Atlantic Ocean. 

He had a slight buzz from the gin, and he felt a lot better than he had earlier this morning. He reached for his bag and pulled out his laptop before crooking his finger and coaxing you back to the seat next to him. "We have a little work to do, Ivy League."

While he expected you to complain, you didn't. Rather you popped out of your seat with your pillow and blanket, climbed over him and settled in the window seat once more. "What is it?" you asked eagerly, and when he logged in to his email account, he saw something from Ted right away. Just a reminder to keep himself on track.

"I'm going to teach you a little bit about the Avio software we will be marketing, so by the time we land in Lisbon, you'll know as much as I do."

You curled up with your pillow and blanket and looked at him, your words doing more to him than you probably intended. "Don't test me, Sir, or I may end up knowing more than you."

"You're a brat."

-------------------------

This time when you woke up, it wasn't to Bradley's touch or his brown eyes. This time it was to Melissa's laughter and Bradley's soft voice. "When are you flying back to the states?" she asked him as you cracked your eyes open. 

"Not any time soon," he replied smoothly. "We have a lot of work to do."

"Well I hope I'm on your flight back," she said flirtatiously as you propped your head up. 

But Bradley wasn't paying attention to her now as he turned your way. "You're up," he mused, and you just nodded, wishing you'd had time to shower or check how you looked before he saw you. "We'll be landing soon. And then we'll get you and your designer luggage to the yacht."

You watched Melissa roll her eyes at you before she stood. "I'll be right back with coffee and some breakfast."

"Hold the cherries! Please!" you reminded her, just to be obnoxious. When she pretended she didn't hear you, Bradley chuckled. "You know, it's kind of refreshing being given an attitude. Is this how you feel when I give you one?"

His eyes went a little wider. "Don't make me call your father."

"I thought you valued your intern," you replied with a smirk. "So don't make me spread that nasty little rumor around Avio that you went to the University of Bumblefuck."

"Virginia," he snorted.

"Whatever."

Melissa dropped off mugs, a carafe of coffee, cream, sugar and pastries. "No cherry," she said blandly as you reached for a blueberry muffin. 

"Much appreciated," you replied as you peeled back the wrapper and took a nibble while Bradley ate an apple danish in two bites before he poured coffee into both mugs. Clearly the two of you were hungry. You also had no idea what time it was. You had to put your phone on silent since your dad wouldn't stop calling you, even though you told him you'd talk to him when you got on the yacht.

"How do you take your coffee?" Bradley asked as you silently chewed. You went to reach for the creamer, but he pulled it away and looked at you. 

You swallowed down your muffin and said, "Cream and sugar, but you don't have to do it. I should probably be doing it for both of us."

He shrugged and got your coffee fixed up exactly the way you would have made it yourself, as he said, "You and I will be working in close proximity, and I feel like this is the kind of detail I should know."

"Well how do you take your coffee?" you asked, but he set down the cream and sugar without adding anything to his. "Black, no sugar."

"Black, no sugar," he confirmed before taking a sip. You watched the alluring scars on his neck as he swallowed, once again surprised that he wasn't married. He didn't seem as helpless as your father, but he seemed like the kind of person who should have someone warm at home when he returned from work each night. Someone to look after him. 

You took a sip of your own coffee and smiled, because it really was perfect, especially for something that was made on an aircraft. "Thank you."

"Any time," he responded, and you eased back in your seat and looked out the window as the Portuguese coastline came into view. You drank your coffee and picked at the muffin, watching as the very early morning sun made the Atlantic Ocean glitter. There were marinas filled with yachts and sailboats, and you wondered if Avio's was amongst them. 

"Were you on the yacht with my dad last year?" you mused as the plane dipped lower in the sky.

Bradley set his mug down, and maybe it was just you, but his features suddenly seemed a little guarded. You'd always been good at reading people, which made it easy to get a favorable response when you needed one. But he'd never looked at you this way before. "For a few days. One of my buddies from the Navy was there too. Jake Seresin."

You blinked and his expression was neutral again. "The name sounds familiar."

Bradley laughed as the plane touched down. "The face will be familiar, too. Soon enough. He's champing at the bit to get onboard for a few days here and there this summer."

You set your mug down as well and said, "Don't worry, Sir. I'll dazzle him to bits during the dinner parties."

Bradley's nostrils flared, and his pupils grew wider. "I don't doubt that."

When you laughed, he smiled before looking down at his hands. "Well, Bradley, I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get on the yacht. I wonder what kind of caviar the chef will serve for lunch."

You unbuckled your seatbelt, prompting him to do the same. "There are different kinds of caviar?" he asked, one eyebrow raised as he picked up your tote and handed it to you. 

"Don't embarrass me, Bradley. The other interns will all laugh at me behind my back."

But he just shook his head as he moved to the side and said, "After you, Ivy League." So you led the way to the front of the aircraft, thanked both pilots and Melissa, even though she clearly didn't like you, and you climbed down the stairs onto the warm tarmac. 

You shouldn't and absolutely couldn't keep reacting to Bradley the way you were, but when he placed his hand on your lower back and said, "This way," you nearly moaned. You looked up at him as he tried to guide you toward the waiting limousine. "Go climb in. I'll grab the bags."

"I can get my own bags," you insisted.

"I know you can, but you have nine hundred of them, and I'm still hungry, and I can do it faster."

"Fine," you replied, and you could feel his gaze on your back as you walked toward the driver who was holding the back door open for you. "Thank you." As you slid across the leather seat, you watched Bradley effortlessly lift multiple pieces of your luggage at the same time while you bit your lip. What the hell was it about him? You couldn't quite put your finger on it, but he was enjoyable to watch. His voice made you feel a little fuzzy. He was raw and genuine like your favorite pair of well worn Levi's which were tucked away in your Dior suitcase he was carrying with one massive hand. 

You looked away. You counted to ten. You already knew this was going to be an issue, so you weren't sure why it was hitting you now. When you glanced his way again, he was bringing his own two, nondescript pieces of luggage to the limousine trunk, and then he was sliding across the seat next to you.

"Twenty minutes to the marina from here," he murmured, his hand coming to rest on the seat next to your thigh. "And then we can get to work."

You pursed your lips. "I was under the impression we would be playing, too."

He chuckled as you started to look through the compartments next to the seat. "We can play a little bit."

You opened what turned out to be an ice chest, and ran your fingers along a bottle of chilled Dom Perignon. "We can start with this," you said, pulling it free from the ice and holding it up.

He was looking at you, not the bottle, but that little twitch of his mustache was his tell. Even though his eyes seemed stern, he held out his hand, and asked, "Think we can finish it in twenty minutes?" 

You smiled brilliantly as you handed it to him. "Don't ever ask me that again."

"Sassy," he muttered, unwrapping the foil and slowly twisting the cage loose before wiggling the cork free with his big hands until it popped. "Here you go."

"No," you insisted as the driver pulled out onto the main road. "You first. Drink to a successful summer."

Bradley nodded once and took a sip before handing you the bottle. His eyes were on your lips as you pressed them to the bottle where his had just been. "To a successful summer," he echoed, his voice a deep rumble as the city went by in a blur. You couldn't stop smiling, and neither could he, and approximately eighteen minutes later, when he helped you out of the limousine, his cheeks were flushed pink.

"Is that it?" you asked, very slowly removing your hand from his as two men rushed your way in matching gray shorts and navy polos. There was a massive yacht with Down to Business lettered across the back and Avio Technologies along the side.  

"That's it," Bradley confirmed, slipping his black sunglasses on as he reached to shake hands with the two men who introduced themselves as Antonio and Nikolai. Bradley told them your name, and they both took your hand in turn. "She's my intern for the summer," he said smoothly, and then they started to unload your luggage. 

"Let's go," you said, glancing back at Bradley as you started down toward the marina gate, and then he was right next to you again with a few long strides. "I hope you can find your Armani swim shorts quickly, because that pool is calling my name." 

"I can, actually. One of the benefits to only bringing two suitcases." He helped you over the gap, and as soon as you were on the yacht, you felt at home. You knew this was going to be the summer you needed.

"Let's go meet the captain," he murmured, his hand finding your back again. 

"Do you think he has more champagne?"

"Ivy... it's nine in the morning."

"I'm still on San Diego time."

Bradley paused for a beat while he did the math. "It's one in the morning back home."

"Exactly," you told him with a little pout that you knew wouldn't actually faze him. He just smiled as he guided you past the pool you couldn't wait to jump into and an enormous jacuzzi. You walked through a dining room that could seat twelve people and past a fully stocked bar. It was like the best offerings from your sorority house and your dad's estate all rolled into one.

"Welcome aboard!" boomed a voice with a French accent. "We've been expecting you. I'm Captain Marcell." He was probably in his sixties with gray hair and a matching beard, and he reminded you a bit of your favorite professor at UPenn.

"Pleasure," you replied, shaking his hand after Bradley told him your name.

Next to him were lined up two friendly looking women, one with short brown hair and one with long brown hair. Beatriz and Lucia, the stewardesses, would be taking care of everything you needed. And next to them was an attractive man wearing a bit of a scowl. 

"I'm Rocco. The chef. I can make anything. I don't like changing the menu at the last minute."

Oh, you liked him already as you shook his hand. And then your heart fluttered as Bradley said, "I need to speak with you about removing any cherries from the yacht before we leave the marina." 

"Cherries?" Rocco asked, scowling deeper.

Bradley glanced at you as he removed his sunglasses, and his mustache twitched. "Yes. Can't have any onboard. That applies to the kitchen and the bars. My intern has an allergy."

"I'll take care of it," Rocco replied before turning away, and you'd never been more certain that someone would take care of something in your life. Then Captain Marcell handed Bradley a folder.

"Rough itinerary. Weather report for the week. List of phone numbers. Please let me know how long you'd like to spend in each port. I can of course adjust anything as needed. Now if you will select your cabins, Antonio and Nikolai will deliver your luggage."

"Thank you," Bradley replied, handing the folder to you. "You're in charge of this. Now why don't we head down so you can choose a room?" He nodded his head toward a wide set of stairs.

You walked down to the lower deck, and once you and he were alone again, he pointed to the left. "The sooner we get settled, the sooner the swim trunks come out?" you asked softly. 

"Something like that." His soft chuckle was right behind you as you stopped at a mint green door with gold trim.

"Is this my room?" you asked, placing your hand on the doorknob. There was a little keypad next to it. 

"If you want it to be," he replied. "Or, there are three others you can choose from."

"Which one are you taking?"

His eyes flitted from your face to a spot a little further down the hallway. "White door."

When you turned to investigate, you saw a pink door directly across from that one. "Wouldn't it be easier if my room was near yours?"

"Probably." His expression was neutral, but that damn mustache was giving him away. 

"I'll take the pink one."

"Very good. I'll get the room codes from Beatriz, and I'll tell them where to deliver the luggage."

"Great," you replied, still standing close to him, but he didn't move.

"Perfect," he said, brown eyes focused on yours. The hallway was narrow, and now he was placing his hands on his trim hips, taking up even more space. "Try not to get into too much trouble while you look around."

Finally he turned toward the stairs, but you called his name right away. "Bradley?" He glanced back over his shoulder with a questioning look. "Thanks for mentioning the cherries."

"Sure," he replied easily. "I got you, Ivy." Then he was walking back up the stairs and out of sight.

---------------------------

We are about to set sail. Let's get into a little trouble. Let's have a little fun. Already feeling a little tension between Bradley and Ivy League. Thanks to @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

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[loveemagicpeace]

✨Aries Season✨

🔥Aries season will be fiery. We are already have mercury in aries so the communication is much more direct maybe a little aggressive. You can also get into the fight with someone so much quicker

🔥Aries is the first sign of zodiac sign it's all about the energy it's all about you . Aries is called to be very selfish because it's much more focused on themself than on others.

🔥Aries energy helps you believe in yourself and take confident action as a leader. Throughout this Aries season, ask yourself: How can you show up with confidence? Where do you need to show leadership? When do you need to take action? Fire is the vital spark, the soul, the life-force; it embodies risk-taking, leadership, passion, confidence, action, motivation, energy, and sparkle. Aries season is an excellent time to start a new job or hobby. You may choose to break a bad habit and begin a healthy one. It's time to hit the refresh button.

✨Mercury in Aries will remain in the sign of Aries until May 15. Mercury in Aries will bring a much more direct, open and fiery energy. They will speed up events and things will develop quickly. But you can quickly quarrel with someone or say something thoughtlessly.

🔥Aries will offer an opportunity for introspection, reflection, and reassessment. Aries energy encourages us to tap into our inner courage, assertiveness and independence. Use this time to reflect on your goals, desires and personal boundaries.

☁️Take it easy during Mercury retrograde, and particularly watch out for impulsive actions in the coming weeks. While Aries energy pushes for quick decisions, remember that it may cloud your judgment, leading to potentially hasty decisions.

🫧Have introspective conversations to ensure you're honoring yourself and your personal beliefs/truths. with people that you feel good energy. Ensure your voice is heard and express your thoughts. Aries is all about expressing your thoughts out loud. Don't force your beliefs or desires onto others and don't be with people who are too negative or angry. Don't jump to conclusions or make rash decisions based on immediate reactions. Mercury can sometimes make things look different than they really are.

🌙Rising Signs🌙

Aries Rising- mercury will be in your ist house. This will affect how you express yourself, behave, and your appearance. Identity and self-perception take the spotlight during this phase. You might feel the urge to revamp your appearance or refresh how you present yourself to the world. Patience isn't always your strongest suit, but it's crucial now more than ever. Take this time to pace yourself and avoid burning out.

Taurus Rising-During this period, your dreams, imagination, and intuition will be heightened. Your spirit is intricately connected to the universe, so prioritize activities like meditation or journaling to slow down and reflect. On the financial front, you may require careful attention during Mercury retrograde as there might be unexpected expenses or financial expenses or losses could arise, particularly if proper budgeting in planning are neglected.

Gemini Rising-you might experience a favorable outcome in your career. You could also see advancement such as job opportunities, promotions, or even the chances of traveling overseas with great job satisfaction, the dedication and hard work may be recognised by superiors, leading to support, appreciation, and possibly even promotions. It can also bring about better relationships. You can meet or see a friend whom you haven't seen for years. Be cautious of conflicts within your community and strive for autonomy without overstepping boundaries.

Cancer Rising-Sudden change such as transfers in the job may disrupt stability and cost dissatisfaction. Increased work pressure without recognition or appreciation may lead to frustration, and some individuals may even have the possibility of job loss. But you could result in increased expenses and limited opportunities for earning. Maybe there are some things here that are related to the family or the father. Practice patience with your colleagues and yourself.

Leo Rising-New job opportunities might be possible for you during this period and due to this success may also be easily possible. During this period, you will have a good potential to meet with immense success and you will also have more efficiency in your work area. If you are in business will gain good popularity and money as luck is going to favor you completely. It can also mean some sort of spiritual journey. Be cautious when traveling or embarking on trips-while it's not forbidden, proceed with care. You might begin to question your beliefs, which is crucial for personal growth.

Virgo Rising- During this time, you might uncover some deep-seated traumas or hidden aspects of yourself. There might be lack of satisfaction and acknowledgement in your professional endeavors leading to concerns about job performance. This Mercury retrograde encourages you to examine what's holding you back from progress. 8th house is also about soul bonding, intimacy.

Libra Rising- While some might experience setbacks and lack success others might find exciting job prospects abroad, offering them a sense of fulfillment and joy. Mercury may bring mixed outcomes with a balance of expense and gains. Opportunities for financial gains. Business contracts, in particular, might be problematic, so it's crucial to thoroughly review all paperwork before signing. Be extra considerate towards your partner if you're married.

Scorpio Rising- During this Mercury retrograde, you might find yourself feeling sluggish, so it's important to slow down your pace. This could mean scaling back on work commitments, easing up at the gym, or taking extra care to avoid getting sick. Spend some time in nature particularly near plants and trees to ground yourself. Do things that don't burden you.

Sagittarius Rising-might experience tension in relationships, particularly concerning your children and family matters. Additional issues within the family may arise causing you stress. Navigating relationship challenges requires excellent communication and patience. Watch out for old flames resurfacing, Use this time to reflect on matters related to your passions. Don't indulge recklessly during this period, but do take time for yourself to reconnect with what brings you happiness.

Capricorn Rising- Patience is key to avoid unnecessary stress during this time. Many things have to do with you and the things you do. It is good not to open too many demanding and difficult conversations, because you will not feel that they are leading and you will only end up disappointed. Consider how you give and receive information. Maybe you will go somewhere or meet more people.

Aquarius Rising- there is a strong possibility of success with opportunities for promotion and salary hike. Overall, this period holds promise for career advancement and success. This period presents opportunities for growth and financial stability in your business endeavors. On the relationship front, you are likely to enjoy success in maintaining a harmonious relationship. During this period, effective communication with your life partners can contribute to a positive personal life.

Pisces Rising- you may experience tremendous peace and understanding with life partners and family members. Strong connections and perfect understanding have the potential to increase happiness and pleasure in personal relationships. This transit brings another wave of change. It's time to reassess your relationship with material possessions and finances. Don't waste money on unnecessary things.

🎸For personal readings u can sign up here: https://snipfeed.co/bekylibra 🎸

-Rebekah💕🦋💍

[its-all-stardust]

Sugar || 3

Masterlist || Part Two || Part Four

Steven Grant/Sugar Mommy!Reader

Word count: 3.9k

Series Summary: You meet Steven in a museum gift shop and feel an instant connection. Before you walk out the door you decide, perhaps against your better judgment, that you need him to be your sugar baby. Now you just need him to let you treat him right.

A week goes by without a word from Steven. You told him to take his time; you expected him to. But that doesn’t stop you from thinking about him every day.

If he was going to say no, wouldn’t he have done it by now? Or he might not answer you at all. That, you think, is worse. You would rather know for sure than guess what the silence means.

You try not to feel disappointment for something that hasn’t even happened—technically, he hasn’t rejected you—but it still prowls in the back of your mind. You haven’t been this worried about something since your company got off the ground when everything was still uncertain, with no guarantee you could make a living.

You especially never felt this way about your other babies. The situations are entirely different. You didn’t have to worry about a referral rejecting you, not right out of the gate anyway. And all the ones you met through specific apps were the same: saying yes and figuring out if things worked as time went on. You at least had a couple of months with all your previous babies, each of you getting a feel for the other before mutually deciding to part ways for one reason or another.

And yet none of them were quite as unforgettable to you as Steven is. Try as you might, you still don’t understand how you’re so drawn to him. Maybe you see enough of yourself in him that you can’t help but want to take care of him, like how you wished someone had cared for you before you broke out and started making what would lead to your fortune.

But it means nothing if he says no. So, as much as you dislike it, you try to put him from your mind. You go about your days as usual, attending meetings, fielding phone calls from heads of different departments, approving the latest marketing budget, and finalizing every move your company makes to ensure you know exactly what is happening at all times. Technically, you don’t need to be as hands-on as you are. There are certainly other people in a similar position who aren’t. You could be on a beach somewhere, signing documents someone else has already read and approved for you. You could be the kind of CEO who never reads a thing and just puts your signature wherever you’re told. You would effectively be retired while still earning an ungodly amount of money. 

But you can’t do that; you can’t stand not knowing what’s happening with something that is your responsibility. You don’t want to rest easy, and you like working. While you have plenty—more than enough, really—saved away in investments, trusts, and more than a few bank accounts, you know how easily everything can be taken away. It almost happened once in the beginning, and ever since, you’ve been trying to ensure it never happens again.

And for all your worries about the state of your business, you don’t let it cross over into your after-work hours. You would, quite frankly, go insane if you didn’t clock out promptly at five. If nothing is on fire, it can wait until the next business day. The meeting you had the day of your dinner with Steven was a rare exception, but even then it only ran a few minutes past before you shut it down. The rest of the time was spent traveling from your office building to the restaurant.

You never understood people who worked later than they needed to. You’d much rather spend your evenings on things you enjoy, which, when you have one, is often your baby.

And you’re thinking of Steven again.

Would he like sitting with you while you were entertained by your other, mainly indoor, hobbies? Some of your other babies grew restless with the inactivity. Or would he be needy, constantly endearingly wanting your attention but never pushing too far?

You picture him looking at you with those beautiful brown eyes, begging for you to take him somewhere, talk to him, lavish him with affection—

Stop it.

Try as you might, it’s impossible to shake him. He’s in skin deep, and you have no clue how to carve him out.

Another week goes by, and still no word from Steven.

You had assumed, after he said he would tell you after he blushed so prettily and didn’t run screaming, that he would at least have the courtesy to tell you he had to turn you down. You’re less upset at this point and more irritated. Annoyed with Steven, sure, but annoyed at yourself for going against your better judgment, hoping that everything would turn out fine. You had to be smart to get where you are; you should have known better than to pick up a random person to try to make your sugar baby.

It’s Saturday night, and you’re cozied up on your couch, watching your favorite movie and enjoying a molten fudge brownie to drown your sorrows and anger. This was how you spent most weekends, in truth. All the money in the world didn’t make you any less of an introvert, uninterested in loud clubs or parties—unless you had a date to show off.

Which you don’t.

You scrape the crumbs from your plate and lick the fudge from your fork before tossing them down on the coffee table with a clatter, the sound making you wince.

Before long, the movie isn’t able to distract you. Still feeling a little spiteful, you grab your phone, letting the movie play for background noise.

You open the app you use to look for new babies—the one everyone has to pay to use. Maybe what you need is a professional, which many who use the app are. At the very least, you’ll have a more timely response from them. The professionals don’t play games. And even if you don’t see one tonight that catches your interest, there’s no harm in looking.

After glancing at a few profiles, you pause on one belonging to a dark-haired man with glasses. He says he lives in New York—you have your settings set internationally since you have the funds to bring someone to you—and you entertain the idea of asking him to relocate. You’ve never had someone move for you, but seeing how devoted a baby could be to you is always an ego boost.

Just as you’re about to send a few coins the man’s way—the paid in-app currency that mommies and daddies use to show interest and initiate contact with prospective babies—your phone chimes, the delicate notes of your ringtone filling the room.

A call. From Steven.

Disbelief fills you, tamping down some of your anger. It doesn’t dissipate entirely, though, and you’re tempted not to answer to teach Steven a lesson. But he’s not your baby, and reacting with anger before you hear him out isn’t fair to him.

Pausing your movie, you swipe to answer just before the call gets sent to voicemail.

“Hello,” you say simply, unwilling to try saying anything witty lest it comes across wrong over the phone. It’s happened before, and it’s never fun to have to backtrack and explain yourself, especially in such a delicate situation as this.

“For a second there, I was afraid you weren’t going to answer,” Steven says, sounding relieved.

“Why would you be afraid?”

“Because…” Steven hesitates. “Because it’s late, and I meant to talk to you sooner, I swear. But something…weird happened, and it was days later, and I could have sworn I left your number on Gus’s tank, but then it wasn’t there. And after everything else, I forgot for a day there and—”

“Steven,” you cut him off, ignoring the “forgetting” thing—for now. “Your answer?”

Steven is quiet for a moment. Then, a soft “Yes.”

“Yes, what? What do you want?” You need to hear him say it.

“Yes, I want to…be your sugar baby.” He whispers the last part as if he’s afraid to say the words out loud. If he doesn’t want to be called that, you won’t force it, but the affirmative response makes you grin.

“But I have some questions first,” he quickly adds.

“Of course. We’ll go over the terms and everything first before we make it official. Are you available tomorrow?”

You had Steven pick the meeting place, wanting him to be somewhere familiar and comfortable to discuss such an unfamiliar topic. The courtyard where you’re to meet Steven is small but lovely. You arrive a few minutes earlier than the set meeting time of ten. Early to ease Steven’s nerves, which you could hear from the other end of the line, and so you weren’t left feeling like you couldn’t do anything for the rest of the day now that you had one thing planned.

You spot Steven sitting on the bench in front of a ground fountain in the middle of the square, shoulder slumped and eyes staring down at the ground. You slowly approach, making sure your heeled boots clack loudly on the bricks. He looks up when you get close and jumps to his feet when he sees you, saying your name. Then he sticks out his hand before abruptly dropping it.

“Sorry. I’m not sure what the proper greeting for…this is.”

Smiling, you ask, “Would it be alright if I hugged you?”

Steven nods, his face flushing. You wonder, the longer you know him if that’ll ever stop. You hope it doesn’t.

Pleased, you step forward, tucking your arms under Steven’s while his come over your shoulders. His hold is light, like he isn’t sure how firmly to hold you. You tuck your chin onto his shoulder and close your eyes, enjoying his warmth. You relish affectionate touches with your babies, and Steven’s arms feel lovely around you.

It’s not a quick hug. You keep your arms around him, giving Steven a chance to relax into it. If he doesn’t, he may be one of the ones you forgo such actions with. Pleasantly, though, he readjusts his arms, settling their weight around you more completely to actually hold you.

He even lets out a pleased hum, and you have to bite your lip to keep your smile from turning into a too-wide grin.

Steven seems a little startled when you eventually pull away.

“So, what would you like to know?” you ask, sitting on the bench, setting your bag beside you on your free side.

“Right, erm…” He sits next to you, close but not too close. “What would I have to…do exactly?”

“Can you be more specific?” What a sugar baby does can encompass a number of things that vary for every mommy and daddy.

Steven looks around at the people passing by, shifting back and forth in his seat. “Would I have to…sleep with you?” he whispers.

It’s a fair question. Usually, one of the first a new baby will ask, and his hesitancy tells you that, for whatever reason, he’s shy about the topic.

“Only if we both want to and sometime in the future when we both know each other better,” you answer honestly.

You don’t sleep with all your babies, and it’s not a requirement for you. Some people don’t like sex with their mommies or daddies, and you’re not going to force someone to sleep with you. You can perfectly enjoy having a baby, being their mommy, without having sex with them.

“Oh,” Steven says evenly. You can’t quite make out what his tone means.

“And if you don’t want me to touch you at all, that’s fine. We don’t have to hug again or anything like that again if it’s uncomfortable for you.” Though you’ll be more than a little disappointed if that’s the case.

“The hug was nice!” Steven quickly assures you. “I just wasn’t sure if-if you’d need that for me to…”

“We don’t have to be sexual with each other for me to enjoy your company, Steven.”

He nods. “Good. That’s…good.”

Sometimes, you have trouble understanding what people mean when they speak. Steven’s an endearing sort of awkward, but you’re starting to learn that makes it hard to tell what he means.

Is he happy that he doesn’t have to have sex with a stranger? Or is he like some other people and disappointed that he doesn’t get to have a very-few-strings-attached relationship?

You’ll probably need to start asking for clarification in the future, but for now, don’t say anything and let the topic drop.

“What else do you have questions about?”

Steven shakes himself from his thoughts and turns back to you, no longer looking uncomfortable.

“Do you want me to quit my job?”

“Do you want to quit your job?” You’ve never asked a baby to quit working—if they even had a job to begin with—unless it was something that did more harm than good. Not to mention, it’s a good way to keep them busy when you’re not around. You can’t exactly be with your baby twenty-four-seven.

You don’t know what Steven goes through on a daily basis, though you can guess based on what his manager is like.

“Well, I don’t exactly love working with Donna,” Steven says, his mouth twisting when he mentions the woman of his apparent nightmares. “But the others aren’t so bad, and I really like it there. I mean, I wish I weren’t stuck in the gift shop, but it’s not all bad.”

“Then keep your job,” you shrug. “Set up a savings or investment account and put every paycheck in there. Then you have it for the future if you ever need it.”

“Are you sure?” Steven presses. “Because some of the things I read said I would have to.”

“If you need me to tell you to quit so it’s easier for you, then quit. But otherwise, I don’t care. I’m more than capable of working around your schedule. This is kind of another job, in a way.” He still looks unsure. You gently place your hand on his jaw, needing him to not just hear you but listen to you. “I want to take care of you, not control you.”

In a manner of speaking, you do control your babies, telling them what to wear and what to do to make you happy. Some even have a sort of persona around you that you find particularly pleasing. But you don’t force them to make life choices like that.

Helping someone quit their shitty job is vastly different than making someone stop doing something they enjoy. You’ve also noticed that it can be hard for new babies to give up the way of life they’re so used to. For them, it’s difficult to actually go through with not working when it’s all they’ve ever known, despite how often they’ve dreamt of never having to work ever again.

Steven doesn’t say anything, though he does seem to lean into your hand a little.

“So what’ll it be?” you prompt.

“I’ll keep my job,” he answers quietly, still mesmerized by your touch. You nod and take your hand away; you need his head clear.

“I just have one question for you before I start going over everything else.”

“Whatever you want to know.”

“Are you in any sort of relationship? Committed, casual?” You carefully watch Steven’s face, looking for any tells. You can’t always tell when people lie, but almost everyone has common cues indicating when they’re being deceitful.

“Oh, no! Nothing to worry about there,” he says with an awkward laugh. When he sees the slightly skeptical look on your face, he continues. “Let’s just say you’re the only one who’s been interested in me.”

His uncontrollable blush is on his face again, and he meets your eye without issue.

You have to bite your tongue to keep from asking Ever? Or recently? That’s something you can ask later if he’s willing to talk about it to sate your curiosity.

“Do people really do that?” Steven asks. “Date someone and be a sugar baby at the same time?”

“Of course, and usually consensually between all parties. It all comes down to what someone needs from their baby. Me, though? I like having them all to myself. It can be hard to try to fit in a third.”

“So I take it you’re not in a relationship?” Steven asks slowly.

You shake your head. “I’m not. It’s why I like having sugar babies.”

With the major questions out of the way, you start going into your expectations.

“There aren’t a lot of events that I attend, but I expect you to come with me,” you start, and Steven pulls out his phone. For a second, you’re confused, but as he starts typing., you see he’s making notes for himself. “Sometimes I like to take overnight trips, and I’d like you to come with me. We’ll have to go around your work schedule, though, so you always need to let me know your hours.

Steven writes it all down, mumbling the words to himself as you say them.

When I call, you answer. When I tell you to call me, you call me. No excuses.

If I ever tell you to do or not do something, you listen. It won’t ever be anything morally objectional. Depending on what it is, I’ll ask if you’re comfortable with it.

I’m your mommy, I expect please and thank you.

I like being affectionate. That means hugging, holding hands, and the like. I’d even like to be able to kiss you on the cheek if that’s alright with you.

I’ll give you a card. When you’re on your own, I expect you to use it. If I don’t see any large purchases on the statement, you’ll get a talking-to.

When we’re together, you ask me to buy things for you. Nothing is too big or too small.

I’ll be paying all your rent and any bills, so we’ll need to take time to get those sorted.

I’m paying you for your time, so you’ll get a payment every time we’re on a date or go out. Feel free to ask for more than I give you. There’s nothing wrong with being playful and saying you’re worth more.

“Also,” you say once you finish your last point. “Most of my babies are fine with informal, verbal agreements, but I can get something written up for you if you’d like.”

Steven is so focused on typing that he doesn’t realize you want his input. It isn’t until he registers what he’s typing that he finally looks up.

“Oh, sorry.” He locks his phone, putting his hands in his lap. “Is one better than the other?”

“Having a written agreement is more for the baby’s benefit. Based on my experience, babies like it because they can have a signed statement for continued payment for some time after the relationship ends. I usually only hear of high rollers doing it; that way, the baby is set up if things sour. And if the mommy or daddy doesn’t want to pay, the baby can threaten legal action, which usually gets settled out of court very quickly. A win-win for the baby.”

“And what would you get out of it?”

“For me personally? It would just be a way to hold you to the agreement enough to keep you from running out without notifying me. It’s fine if you don’t want to be my baby anymore, but I am at least owed a sort of resignation whenever the time comes.”

You remember that one baby you had a couple of years ago. He was new to the game, took his first payment, and left without speaking to you again. You were more annoyed at having to make someone track him down to ensure that nothing had happened to him than upset that he didn’t want to be a baby anymore.

“So, if I don’t want to be your baby anymore, I just say so and walk away?” Steven asks with a hint of skepticism, likely thinking that it surely can’t be that easy.

“Exactly. Like I said, I don’t want to control you or own you, but I think I deserve enough respect to be told you’re no longer interested.”

Steven thinks everything over for a moment.

“I can’t say I see myself wanting to sure you, so I think I’ll be okay without signing anything,” he eventually says.

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah, I mean, this doesn’t have to be as complicated as all that, does it?”

You give a small smile. “It doesn’t. This is supposed to be fun, after all.”

Steven smiles back at you, and you feel a flutter in your chest. Normally, your babies don’t set your heart pounding, but Steven isn’t quite like them. You push it out of your mind; it’s best not to get too attached, not like that anyway.

“Did you set up that account I asked you to?” you ask, ready to get on to the fun part of a new baby’s first arrangement.

Steven unlocks his phone and opens the online banking app you asked him to download last night. It’s the best way to send his payment, and then he can move it around however he likes afterward.

Pulling up the QR code to share his profile, you scan it with your app, adding him to your contacts. Then, you tap to start a transaction.

“This will be for our initial dinner and for today. Go ahead and type any amount you’d like in there,” you say, handing your phone to Steven.

He stares at the screen, frozen, like he’s afraid to move.

“Go on,” you urge him. You had wondered what he’d be like once he was told to start asking for money. Much like your other new babies, he’s hesitant, afraid to name a number, even though this whole arrangement revolves around money.

Steven looks up at you, eyes wide and biting his lip. Finally, looking back down at your phone, you watch as he types a single “1” before thrusting it back toward you.

You don’t take it. “Do you think that’s all you’re worth? Add some zeroes on there.”

Steven types one zero.

“Another,” you command. Very slowly, he types another. “Think you can give me one more?”

“I… That’s just…” Steven flounders, shaking his head.

“Steven.” Just his name, nothing more. Your voice is firm, leaving no room for argument.

This time, he quickly hits a third zero and practically throws the phone back at you.

“Good boy,” you say, quickly hitting the ‘transfer’ button to send the thousand pounds to Steven. You think you see him shiver.

You grin, already loving his reactions. You can’t wait to tease him, give him more.

“Now, what do you say?” you ask, tucking your phone back into your leather handbag.

“Thank you,” Steven says quietly, face once again flushed.

“You’re welcome, baby.” His eyes flit down shyly, but he doesn’t turn away from you.

Then you reach out and tug on the sleeve of his shirt, examining the fit and pattern.

“There’s one more thing I’d like to do today if you have the time,” you say, eyeing up the rest of his outfit.

“What’s that?” Steven asks, sounding nervous and perhaps a little excited.

Your eyes flick to meet his, that predatory look returning to your face.

“I want to take you clothes shopping.”

Series taglist: @multific @uncle-eggy

[starry-hughes]

present exchange (jack hughes)

day 8 of star’s ficmas event

single dad!jack au (jack hughes x reader)

You had saved all the money you had earned from nannying before you asked Jack to stop paying you when you started dating him officially. Christmas was draining your savings account though. Jack spoiled you, always buying you gifts, handing over his credit card the very moment you needed something. You once ran out of toothpaste and before you could even say you needed more, Jack was placing the order for it. 

Jack had agreed to exchange one gift. You both had spent a majority of the gift budget on his daughter, Paisley. But Jack and you agreed on one gift each for each other. When you asked for a budget, Jack said no, that he didn’t care how much the gift was, and that was code for “I’m probably spending an amount of money you will be upset at.” 

Paisley was asleep, it was Christmas Eve. She was upstairs in Jack’s childhood bedroom, asleep in the pack-and-play. You had traveled with Jack, Paisley, and Luke to Michigan for Christmas. Quinn had flown in from Vancouver and Ellen and Jim were happy to have a full house. 

You carefully taped down the wrapping paper as you finished wrapping last minute gifts. Ellen and Jim had gone up to bed and the other Hughes boys were down in the basement playing video games. Jack creaked down the stairs after he had gone up to Paisley who was stirring in her sleep without her pacifier. “She’s knocked out, I think the snow tired her out.” 

A smile broke out onto your face as you remembered playing in the snow earlier in the day, going out to the outdoor rink and watching the boys skate around for a while. Jack joined you on the floor before reaching over to the presents under the Christmas tree. It was a small, flat box, wrapped by someone else (you were guessing his mom). “Merry Christmas,” he smiled. You looked at him and back at the present. “It’s only Christmas Eve.” 

He sighed, “Yeah but I would rather you open this gift here, just with me and you here. I don’t need my brothers calling me soft.” You scowled at him as you put down the wrapping paper and scissors, deciding to finish wrapping Paisley’s gift in a second. You carefully unwrapped the box and took the lid off. A silver bracelet shined on its pillow of cotton. A charm, a small letter ‘P’ was attached to the bracelet. “I have a matching necklace.” 

Jack yanked his chain out from under his sweater, revealing that he did indeed have a matching charm on his silve chain. “You took Paisley in as your own basically, she’s your daughter as much as she is mine,” Jack said gently as he clasped the bracelet around your wrist. You sniffled, laughing away the tear as you got emotional about his words. “Wait, you should open your gift too,” you scramled to grab the wrapped gift from under the tree. 

Jack nestled you between his legs as he opened his gift. It was an even smaller box. “It’s a keychain!” you told him, “Probably not as good or whatever as what you got me.” You turned red and went to get up before Jack was tugging you back into him. “Is this Paisley’s thumbprint?” he examined the gift. It was a silver pendant with Paisley’s thumbprint on one side.

You nodded before carefully flipping it over, revealing your own thumbprint. “You said you broke your other keychain.” Jack was quick to grab your face and kiss you deeply. “I love it,” Jack said against your lips. 

[curio-queries]

I’m loving your production breakdown posts, they are so interesting and insightful.

I think you mentioned it maybe in the first ep breakdown but it was about expenses. I just thought it was interesting in ep4 when JK mentioned at the chicken place, paying in cash, and he solely has this conversation with Tae, not Jimin. Would there be an arrangement do you think? Or was that scene cut and he’d have asked Jimin too? I’ve noticed in comparison to Bv where they were usually only allowed a certain amount of money between them, with one usually being in control, or a sum for a task, in AYS, Jimin and JK have been whipping out their cards, be it their own or a company card, in Big Dicks store, in Walmart etc.

I just found it interesting

Hi anon,

The finance bits are interesting in the most boring corporate sense if that makes any sense. 😅 Trust me on this. Let's dive in:

In my opinion, it really boils down to two concerns: taxes and sponsorships. Taxes to insure the company receives every possible benefit for every dollar they spend. Sponsorships because some brands can have fussy rules about how individuals interact with their product and especially any competitor's products while they have an active agreement.

Obviously I have no actual insight onto how the finances and budget were managed for any of these specific shows and I know absolutely nothing of the intricacies of taxes in South Korea but in the US, there are many regulations when it comes to how companies can claim expenditures for tax breaks.

Every company that has had me travel for work has gone to a lot of trouble to insure that I was aware of exactly all of the requirements on my part regarding expenditures. I'm 100% sure all of the BTS members are aware of their requirements as well so I don't particularly think there's any motive other than as a cute convo for the moment between JK and V. Imo, the only reason it made it to the final cut was JKs endearing tone in his response.

Let's go through some examples though:

Receipts: in both AYS and Bon Voyage, we see the members be very specific in getting Receipts. JM and JK talk about it as they're leaving Walmart. In BV, it's all of the shenanigans with the money pouch they acquired in Malta and continued using in New Zealand. This is usually documentation required for any operation that's going to be claimed as a business expense for tax purposes.

Personal Spending: off the top of my head I can think of several clear instances where we know that the members are using their own money for purchases we see them make on the shows. In Run BTS ep.70 in Toronto, JK pays for the member's clothing purchases himself. In BV4, JM pays for the member's clothing himself a couple of times (remember the drama of his lost wallet? 😅)

Budget as Content: BV 1 & 2 mostly only include finances as part of the game-ification of the show. The members had to earn money as an allowance for the activities and determine the best ways to spend it. (I do vaguely remember some members wanting to negotiate for more when buying souvenirs? Was that just in the extra scenes? It's been so long, I've been holding off on rewatching until I'm done with my Run series).

Thankfully, the success of BTS has basically nixed the budget games. I think the last time we saw something like this were the Run episodes of a hotel staycation? But the prices were ficticious and not necessarily about real-world spending but rather determining the secret number to not exceed. (If I'm misremembering and there are more recent examples, please share!) Imo, it would just be too tone-deaf to continue portraying the members in that context. I know we all joke about them being broke millionaires, but there's a reason why celebrity game shows always make it clear that the money involved is for charity.

Anyway, back to AYS, the interesting bit to me is wondering about the inclusion of Taehyung from a budget standpoint. How was that reconciled? None of us can possibly know the answer, but it's interesting to think about. Some costs wouldn't have changed at all with one extra participant, like the house rental, or booking the climbing gym or yacht tour. But there were a few extra concessions, getting the extra mattress likely was more a logistics headache on short notice rather than an impact to the budget. And most Korean meals are served family-style so there honestly isn't a huge difference cost-wise. Except maybe the omakase. That I can imagine was noticeably more expensive with an added individual.

But really, the most expensive item per person would likely have been travel. Did someone say Tae was already in Jeju prior to filming? If he wasn't, did the show cover his flights like they would have JK, JM, and the crew? Or is the budget on these shows big enough that it was just another drop in a bucket? Also, the intent likely was for JK to zip around on the motorbike and JM to be on the scooter. I'm curious if they weren't logistically able to get another such vehicle with the short notice or if the budget/sponsorship constraint didn't allow for a third one the day. Or it could be that the scooter exists because of the 3 member count and production thought one of them could be JKs backpack. That bike has the space for it. But perhaps the difficulty to get coverage and/or converse wasn't appealing. Or maybe there just wasn't a third radio-enabled helmet prepared?

I know the various shippers are using this in their arguments. I'd like to firmly state that I am not building a case for either side here. Go do that on your own and leave me out of it. Lol.

There are so many questions and it's interesting to theorize how the finances could have impacted the development of the show. Maybe we'll get some more insight with the remaining episodes and bonus footage but I doubt it. Finances don't usually make for engaging content.

Thanks again for the ask! It's one of the points I want to discuss when I start doing my BV and ITS posts but who knows when that will be!

[vampirae]

Pluto and Money

How to gain money with Pluto transits

Pluto in 1st: This transit has the potential to bring up deep self-transformation and personal empowerment. Focus on gaining self-confidence, polishing your own abilities and talents, and creating a strong and determined image in your professional pursuits if you want to make money.

Pluto in 2nd: Pluto's passage here has the potential to alter your values and financial stability. To increase your income, you should examine your financial habits, make an effective budget, invest carefully, and have a healthy relationship with money based on self-worth and resourcefulness.

Pluto in 3rd: This transit has an impact on communication, education, and networking. Focus on improving your communication skills, gaining knowledge in subjects with high earning potential, and developing a strong professional network to improve your financial opportunities.

Pluto in 4th: Pluto's transit through this house can have an effect on family, home, and emotional foundations. Consider real estate investments, family business opportunities, and understanding the relationship between emotional well-being and financial success to improve your financial status.

Pluto in 5th: This transit has an impact on your creativity, self-expression, and personal fulfillment. Focus on exploiting your creative abilities, exploring entrepreneurial initiatives, and taking careful risks in investing opportunities to make money.

Pluto in 6th: This transit has an impact on employment, health, and everyday routines. To improve your financial prospects, focus on strengthening your work ethic, obtaining in-demand talents, and maintaining good physical and mental health to optimize productivity.

Pluto in 7th: This transit has an impact on partnerships and relationships. During this transit, collaborative efforts, cooperative enterprises, and common financial goals can lead to enhanced financial advantages.

Pluto in 8th: Pluto's transit through this house can have a significant impact on pooled resources, investments, and inheritances. To make money, look into investment options, engage in financial planning, and learn about topics such as estate plannHigher education, travel, and philosophical opinions are all affected by this transit. Consider extending your knowledge and abilities through additional education, researching worldwide business prospects, and adopting an abundance and growth attitude to boost your financial wealth.ing and tax techniques.

Pluto in 9th: Higher education, travel, and philosophical opinions are all affected by this transit. Consider extending your knowledge and abilities through additional education, researching worldwide business prospects, and adopting an abundance and growth attitude to boost your financial wealth.

Pluto in 10th: This transit has an impact on one's job, public image, and professional goals. Focus on long-term professional objectives, build leadership abilities, and use your influence and reputation to create financial possibilities if you want to make money.

Pluto in 11th: This transit has an impact on friendships, social networks, and group affiliations. Focus on networking, making important relationships, and investigating entrepreneurial opportunities within social or professional circles to improve your financial chances.

Pluto in 12th: This transit has the potential to bring about profound psychological and spiritual development. To make money, look into hidden abilities or spiritual practices that can be commercialized, as well as work on releasing any self-limiting beliefs or subconscious habits that are impeding financial wealth.

[insanescriptist]

Going from sharing brainspace with a demon to sharing an apartment with said demon actually wasn't hard. Not like Jason expected it would be. No matter how tiny the apartment was.

Yeah, he bitched about the couch and stole Jason's bed when Jason was off in a safehouse and pointedly was scheming for better accommodations for himself and the cat. To be honest, Jason was also scheming for better accommodations for himself and the cat. The cat was growing on him.

Jason kept expecting it to be hard to share the space. However his Pit Demon manifested as some sort of Italian mobster and thus had the human knowledge to not be a terrible roommate. Didn't yammer on at all times about nothing, didn't vibrate in place. Didn't play loud obnoxious music at all times or fail to mark down what had been used if he cooked. Xanxus didn't leave hair in the shower, didn't leave a mess behind him in the way that people used to traveling and living out of their travel bags did. Was very exacting in his neatness. No evidence left behind, no stress.

It was the unexpected things that got to Jason, more than the learning curve of "How to survive Gotham's Bullshit," home edition.

Who the fuck expected a Pit Demon to be a Catholic for one?

That first Sunday, not even a full twenty-four hours after possessing Tashira Owens' corpse, the demon went to Mass. Jason had followed, half expecting the service to go terribly. It didn't but it let Jason see how smooth, how rote all the little rituals were.

A devout demon. Only in Gotham.

Jason had no idea how Christianity meshed with you know, being a demon mobster. But clearly Xanxus had found some way to do it that Jason's meager religious knowledge couldn't understand without delving further into it. Jason was more performative religious as a kid; in that if he said the right words, did the right things, they'd feed him. Sure he'd read up more on religion, that good ole' Robin bookwork but academic understanding wasn't actually believing, much less acting in accordance with the faith or truly understanding it. Closest Jason got was the All-Caste and it was less religion and more way of life. One he had mostly left behind.

Other oddities from a demon was his ability to busk. Like actually play music and get paid for it on some street busk. Jason had thought the Devil and his fiddle was just some country song. Not something demons could go and play and be paid for. Especially since the violin didn't exist. Not in Jason's apartment and not in Xanxus' hand, unless he wanted it to. Xanxus called it a memory, but how the hell he made it manifest was probably magic. That was also on Sunday, after Mass and Jason knew only a few of the songs by ear and certainly not by name; his musical tastes always ran to rock. Whatever; it was easy money. Not a lot compared to Jason's illegal income streams, but for a couple hours' work, but considering Jason wasn't even expecting a measly hundred from his fellow Gothamites, it exceeded his expectations.

It did mean that Xanxus didn't have to be given spending money out of Jason's accounts. That his Pit Demon having the means to earn an income meant Jason didn't have to worry about his food budget or general living expenses being ate up by an inconsiderate roommate.

It also meant that Xanxus' had the money to replace all the plates and other crockery he had ruined as he adjusted to Gotham's "Living the Horrors," standards.

Leaving your glasses up in the cupboard and see how much poison they collected from the air's everything, even after filters was always a horror show. Jason was surprised that that experiment wasn't some kid's winning horror at a science fair. Maybe too mundane for Gotham. Not nearly as dramatic as the whole, "will dissolve plates if left to soak repeatedly in the sink."

Jason's first victims to Xanxus' learning that Gotham Water:tm: can and will dissolve the glaze off of plates was at least cheap ceramic dinner plates. Jason's mixing and eating bowls were steel and glass respectively, except for the one ceramic bowl reserved for cereal menaces. So some things could entirely be left fine in the water. Mostly. Others however could not.

So now Xanxus did what he thought was logical and set the water on fire.

Jason was now resigned to occasionally see his sink on fire. With the dishes in it.

Magical fire that somehow purified the water -something he was sure was otherwise impossible with all the pollution in it, didn't even set off his smoke detector somehow- that the dishes were soaking in. The testing period to finding something that worked to purify the water and not destroy his soaking dishes also -surprise, surprise- killed more of his tableware but Xanxus at least replaced it. Well, tossed money at Jason to buy his own replacements.

So arson was generally not an acceptable way to do dishes, but it let Xanxus soak the dishes so he'd actually do the dishes.

All told, basically ideal roommate in a small space. Even with the cat causing extra chores.

Did chores, wasn't messy, loud or inviting people over. Wasn't obnoxious.

Jason wasn't likely to invite people anyway and so far Dickhead hadn't butted in, so he hadn't had to explain why his glass mixing bowl basically lived in the sink now and would light up when water from the tap was poured into it.

Which left the most obnoxious habit to be relatively minor.

Xanxus was vain, but not modest.

Jason wished he had some personal modesty.

Jason didn't know all the details but Owens' corpse was chosen both from luck and for fit. However it was still technically a corpse so needed an energy investment to believe it wasn't. So that it would be alive enough to produce the energy that Xanxus used for magic. However it could only produce so much, over such a period of time.

So sometimes the energy that was used to disguise the corpse as Xanxus was too much a drain and the illusion of Xanxus fell. Which surprise, a half naked man on his couch became a half naked woman wearing men's clothing on his couch.

Yeah, Jason wasn't sure what to think about that beyond a, "he looks more at ease with being a woman than I expected," for someone with such a strong masculine impression left in Jason's head. This also gave him an intellectual thought exercise of the limits of necrophilia and the degrees thereof from his lingering zombieness (mostly alive) to a possessed corpse mimicking life (functionally alive) to a shambling corpse (mostly dead) and a well preserved corpse (very much dead.)

Jason never said he wasn't fucked in the head, but he wasn't fucking around and finding out with this. Jason kinda valued living his life, such as it was. Pit Demon roommate and all.

[halodbethyname]

Planets in the Second House

🏡💰💎SECOND HOUSE: (the “my money, my problems” house) (the house of personal finances, material possessions, budgeting, the concept of and relationship to value) planets in this house can influence one’s feelings of emotional and financial security, and have an impact on how one conducts personal finance and dealings. This in addition to placement of jupiter and venus can have the strongest effects on personal wealth and security.

☉the sun- this placement tends to give financial independence, and reputable earning habits. Money may come to 2h suns easily, or opportunities for wealth may come and go quickly. Having a strong moral foundation can make this natives popular in social circles, and others(sometimes influential people) like befriending them, for their dependable nature. Good taste in general, possessions may increase in value over time. Good aspects to the sun, mercury, jupiter, and venus increase positivity of this placement. Be warned of using possessions as status symbols.

☾ the moon- imaginative with money matters and dealing with the public. Fluctuating finances(the moon fluctuates whatever she touches). One may be emotional with money matters or spend impulsively. Personal and financial well being often equal emotional wellbeing for these natives, and familial security is often an issue or important to them. Attachment to personal possession. Negative aspects can give greediness or impulsive spending.

☿ mercury- able to earn through communicative, social, intellectual careers. Enjoys spending on things that create ease. Multiple or changing jobs. Easiky recognizes opprtunitues to create wealth, but can also be susceptible to theft, scams thank you. Poor aspects can give illegal means of making money, trickery. In gveneral, great business and bartering skills, and enjoys travel and learning.

♀venus- may financially benefit through marriage, social/creative pursuits, business partnerships. Loves extravagance/adornment(jewelry, fine clothing/foods, spending on partners) may have keen sense for interior decoration, design in general. Negativity or positivty of aspects to venus esp. from jupiter, sun determines level of extravagance usually

♂mars- the planet of action in the house of finances indicates one must work hard and diligently to make their living, and often have great work ethic. Rashness or haste may end in financial loss, but 2h mars can usually recover quickly from financial upsets. Investing in yourself and your capabilities can be very fruitful, but be careful to not become too self involved in your dealings and end up shutting out potential partners and opportunitues. Money and financial security are big focus of ones energy.

♃ jupiter- discovered earlier this morning. Natural personal abundance. money and money making opportunities come often and easily to these natives, who may make their living in the travel industry or while traveling. May give extravagance, bragging personality, or charisma that attracts others and gives opportunities to earn through social networking. Good luck and prosperity in general and especially when well aspected by sun, venus.

♄ saturn- restriction in earnings and personal security. Wealth may come slowly, but be lasting once it is attained. 2h saturns benefit from slow steady gain and well thought out budgets and finance plans more than quick money methods. May have luck in investments and stocks. Personal discipline is an important lesson that these natives must learn in order to grow financialy. Saturn demands you sit in his constrictions before allowing you to break the mold.

♅ uranus- influence of other planets is especially important with uranus, as its unpredictable nature gives unpredictability wherever it sits in the natal chart. One may have unconventional methods of earning, this could be a get rich quick schemer placement. Money opportunities may come up unexpectedly, as well as financial loss. Long term plans often change for 2h uranus.

♆ neptune- prioritizes esthetic(emotional/personal) value and may gain through spiritual or creative endeavors. Intuitive, imaginative with earning and budgeting plans. Generous, philanthropic, may be over giving, susceptible to fraud and trickery. Benefic placement of mars, jupiter, venus, and sun can influence this positively or negatively depending on aspects.

♇ pluto- natural financial talent and power. Innovativeness and risky business. One may change careers several times in life, esp, when transiting pluto aspects your natal pluto. Be careful of being wasteful, as this native enjoys variety and may start projects that they dont finish. High effort tends to equal high reward.

[rimouskis]

How do u make your yearly budget ? I remember you posting about your budget spreadsheet once. Pls I am v interested on how you set it up

I simply must ask if you're the FBI agent in my phone, because I genuinely just sent a message to a friend saying how excited I was it's the end of the month, meaning tomorrow I get to start with a fresh new slate in my budget hahaha

alright let's talk:

I don't do a yearly budget, technically! I budget month-per-month. There are lots of styles of budgets—some allowing for a yearly/more Long Term view—but what worked for my income level was a month-based system.

I lurked on r/personalfinance on reddit for a long while and actually pilfered my budget template from there!

I use this one, which I like both because I've used it for five years and because it's just plain ol' simple. I don't need charts to automatically populate and I don't want to categorize every purchase I make. I just want to see how much money I have per month and how much I'm spending.

That's also crucial to how I personally do budgeting. I don't set aside $X for food and $X for activities and $X for going out or whatever every month. That isn't productive to me; my life looks different every month depending on what's going on. I don't use my budget to be prescriptive; outside of my fixed expenses (rent, utilities, etc.) I just use my budget to track 1. where my money is going and 2. how much of it I have left.

If you want something with a bit more frills, there are lots of other options (one, two, three) on reddit, but I've [personally] found all their bells and whistles overwhelming. If they have useful features you want to use (like, some will have tabs for you to track debt and payments toward it), you can experiment with them, but I don't recommend them for someone new to budgeting.

...I also don't inherently recommend my preferred spreadsheet, either. It doesn't work for everyone. I've shown it to some friends and they almost immediately knew it wouldn't work for them. The reason it works for me is because I am kind of neurotic about budgeting.

To me, "peace of mind" is maintained by having a really close eye on my finances. That means that I track what I spend daily. I manually input every purchase into the spreadsheet. I manually put every paycheck into the spreadsheet. I keep the Google Sheets app on my phone for this very purpose.

That isn't something everyone's willing to do, and there's no shame in that—we all find the different tools that work best for us! But if you don't think you're able to keep up with manually tracking every cent you make and spend, I don't think that this method will be good for you.

If you need more automation in your budgeting, where you can get things autofilled and so on and so forth, I would have pointed you towards Mint, which I've heard good things about, but it's sadly shutting down this March. The article I linked provided an alternate recommendation, but I can't personally vouch for any of those services.

I've been tempted by YNAB a time or two — I like the idea that they intentionally work you towards living off of old paychecks instead of the money you earn month-of [which is a financial goal we should ALL strive for, even though it can be very hard], and I like that they encourage giving every dollar a "job", but you don't NEED their service to do either of those things. I don't like paying money to save money, you know? lol

I keep a secondary, simple spreadsheet with my "rolling funds" in it — money I set aside every month (which I input as a monthly "expense" in my normal spreadsheet) which I allocate to specific funds, like car funds, travel funds... I even had a "hockey game fund" for a few years, haha.

I prefer that method to paying for a service to do it for me. I'm sure YNAB has some nice bells and whistles, and it's clear MANY people love being integrated into their system, which has some automated bits that definitely make budgeting "easier," but I like Ye Olde Spreadsheet. Having to input every purchase keeps me accountable, I feel. Also it sometimes discourages me from spending money, haha, which is probably a good thing in the long run.

idk. I'm a huge advocate for budgeting. I know it can be really hard for some people, but I sincerely think there's some budgeting method out there that will work for you, you know? I credit my budget spreadsheets for keeping my head above water during the many times where money was/is tight. Knowledge is power and all that.

Not to sound like a #girlboss shilling my financial advice on tiktok (of which there are too many), but being aware of where your money is going is sincerely the biggest, most important step you can take towards building financial safety for yourself. My budget saved my ass this last year.

If you have any other questions, shoot them my way. I know it can seem daunting, but I totally think it's worth it! <3

[pandasmagorica]

First Watch Review: Unknown

See also episode 1 notes

I just binge-watched the Taiwan QL series Unknown over the last few days. While it didn't knock anything off my Top 10 the way Knock Knock, Boys! did, it did earn a place on my A Cut Above list.

(As a side note, I'm realizing that I feel weird about Eternal Yesterday and Until We Meet Again no longer being on my Top 10, so I'm considering letting my Top list be as large as it needs to be to keep them on the list. 10 is an arbitrary number anyway. Eternal Yesterday and Until We Meet Again are special series in my heart and are definitely above being "just" a cut above.)

First off, I was almost ready to write the series off partway through the first episode because of the violence - content warning: crime gangs stage fights that they bet on and the fight scene is quite brutal. But it is mercifully brief and there's not a lot more violence in the rest of the series. I'm not generally someone who fast forwards but I guess you could do that or use the seek feature to skip it.

Brother-as-father Wei Qian starts helping homeless youth Yuan on the street. Yuan ultimately follows him home and sister Wei Bao lets him in. Yuan becomes part of the family, fully integrating into the family life with Qian, Bao, and friend-landlord San Pang.

As Yuan, now Wei Yuan, grows up, he realizes that he is gay and in love with Wei Qian. Meanwhile, Qian tries to put his gang life behind him and forms a game startup with Pang and Xiong Da Fang.

This series does a great job at showing domesticity and found family. There is also plenty of food porn. The transition of feral cat Yuan to family member Yuan is handled well.

The series generally does a good job of taking us on a journey across years of family life. One exception is a section where one of the characters spends time in the US. The series does not do a good job of getting across how long that time is, and we only learn of it later in a line of dialog in a later episode. I realize they wouldn't have a budget to show the character in New York, but for a script that did so well at setting where we are in the story, this was a significant failing. Given one of the other character's reactions to this absence, it's a wonder that other character was still alive upon the traveling character's return.

One possible challenge for English speakers is Yuan and Bao's name for Qian being transcribed in the subtitles as "Da Ge" rather than translated as "Big Brother" and Bao's name for Yuan as "Erge" rather than as "Second brother." But if you didn't know that before, you know now.

Similarly, I'm guessing when we see "San Pang-ge" in the subtitles, that this is family-izing San Pang as their brother. But that is only a guess.

Recommended if you're okay with an adopted-brothers adults relationship.

Anyway, let's go to the jump:

So the question all along once we know Wei Yuan's feelings is, how does Wei Qian feel about Wei Yuan? Is Wei Qian gay? After all, Pang has been setting up Qian with blind dates with women to no avail. Wei Qian claims to only have time for his job and his family, but is he hiding something, if only from himself?

Wei Yuan's scene coming out to Wei Qian is quite interesting. Wei Yuan seems to assume Wei Qian already knows and that Wei Yuan is just confirming it. Yuan is refreshingly self confident, a welcome improvement over Thun's self-doubt coming out to his mom in He's Coming to Me. However, Qian, in a scene reminiscent of Jim's reaction to Li Ming's coming out in Moonlight Chicken, can only tell Yuan of the difficulties Yuan is likely to face, including within his own family.

It's hard to know for this monolingual English speaker how much of it is in the original Chinese and how much is a shortcoming of the subtitles, but it seems to me that in this scene that Qian is intentionally being dense about Yuan's attraction to him. Ultimately, in a later scene, Yuan has to spell it out for him with a drunken kiss.

Qian had already been making noises about sending Yuan abroad to study - interestingly to this American Qian considers the UK more dangerous than the US. But now that Yuan has made his feelings know, Qian insists.

So Yuan goes to New York and Qian falls to pieces, eventually texting Yuan that he is welcome to come home if he wants. Does he finish his studies? We never find out. We eventually find out in a line of dialogue that Yuan was abroad for 4 years - I guess we can figure out the time lapse was significant as Yuan transforms from cutie pie to rugged dude, but still, more hints would have been welcome. And given the amount of drinking Qian did while Yuan was away, it's a wonder Qian hasn't killed himself or destroyed his career.

Part of the turmoil involves the return of the mob figure. Yuan puts himself in danger to try to keep Qian out of danger. But the mob dude is surprisingly okay with Qian's retiring. We never really get an explanation for this, but it's a relief that it's apparently over. Well, except for Qian's medical issues that are a hangover from the mob days.

Some of the turmoil, fortunately quickly resolved, involves Qian and Yuan keeping their relationship from Bao, as well as Bao and Pang keeping their relationship from Qian. It's funny that they can be offended by the others keeping secrets while being okay keeping secrets themselves.

But Yuan is a open book. Everyone knows how he feels, except of course Qian who doesn't want to know, until he's told and can't deny it any longer.

One thing: the obnoxious office-mate who wants to know who's top and who's bottom. I personally don't care and glad Qian didn't answer, but does say to himself "Isn't it obvious?" Well, not to me, although if I had to I'd guess Yuan as seme and Qian as uke, but why can't they be verse? Again, it wasn't clear to me and had no bearing on how I view the series.

Anyway, this is a fine series and deserves a place on my cut above list.

[xiaojunsmintchoco]

Love Note — Johnny Suh

pairing: best friend johnny x reader

genre: fluff, best friends to lovers, roommates au

synopsis: despite having been best friends for the longest time, both you and Johnny pick up a new habit of leaving little notes for each other when you move in together. How does that blur the lines between best friends and lover for you both?

wc: 6k of (poorly-written) fluff

a/n: this is a gift for @sehunniepotwrites! Nikki, I hope you enjoy this fic (though it was wasn’t very well written imo :”) and that it brightens your Christmas for you! thank you so much for being such a cool mutual to talk to, though we’ve only known each other for a short while, I’ve really enjoyed our conversations! Stay safe and have a wonderful holiday!

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥

“Dude, you good?” Johnny looks over to you with a concerned expression as he hears the sigh coming from you. 

“No,” you groan, scrolling through your phone as you look at the rental prices for apartments near university. “Looking at how rental prices are all sky-high, there’s no way I’ll be able to rent an apartment”. 

“I would normally suggest staying at home, but if I were you I wouldn’t wanna make a one hour commute to school every day, especially with the amount of work we’re gonna have too,” Johnny muses. 

You shoot your best friend a playful glare. “Gee, thanks for reminding me of that, John”. 

He merely chuckles as he watches you continue looking for reasonably-priced apartments, but all of them seem like they’d drain more of your budget than you’d like. “Say, what if we both rent an apartment together? Then we can both split rent, and it should be more affordable for us, right?” Johnny suggests. “I mean, I’d like an apartment near university too. Like you, I wouldn’t wanna waste two hours travelling to and from school in total”. 

Your eyes light up at your best friend’s suggestion. “You’re a genius!” you exclaim, his idea already appealing to you. With anyone else you didn’t know too well you would’ve been hesitant, but hey, this was your best friend you were talking about, which would be easier than having to move in with a complete stranger. In that moment, you thank the heavens that Johnny had decided to apply to the same university as you and gotten accepted as well. 

“Of course I am”. Johnny scoffs in return, earning him an eye roll and a light smack across the shoulder.

“Whatever, Mr Self Proclaimed Genius. I’ll send you the apartment listings, you can look through them, and then we can make a decision together”.

Johnny hums as his phone dings with the text notification from you. “Yep, that’s good,” he agrees, opening the link you sent and skimming through the list of possible apartments you both could rent. Before you know it, you’ve both settled on a decent apartment. 

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥ ⋆

“YES! I can’t believe we actually got the apartment!” you cheer as you take the key and waltz into the new apartment. Johnny laughs at your antics, but lets himself into the apartment as well. It was quite a homey one, with a brown wooden floor and white walls. A comfy-looking sofa sat in front of a round coffee table and a television, and in the dining hall, you were greeted by a rectangular dining table, decorated with a glass vase of artificial flowers, as well as the fridge next to it. Talk about value for money. 

“Let’s go check out the rooms, shall we? Then we can pick the rooms that we want,” Johnny suggests. You agree, and both of you hurtle up the stairs, eager to look at the bedrooms. Turns out, both of the rooms have the same basic design — single size bed, a bedside table with three drawers and a lamp, plus a large enough wardrobe for you both to use. How you both still manage to argue (jokingly) over which room you both want — no one will ever know, but you both attributed it to your “best friend chemistry”. 

“Why are you so insistent on taking the room on the left? They’re both the same!” Johnny argues.

“Nah man, the one on the left has a nicer view from the window, so I want that one!” you declare. “Then why do you want the one on the left so badly, since in your words, ‘they’re both the same’?”

“The colour of the wardrobe in that room is nicer! The brown is warmer,” Johnny. claims, not backing down. 

“Psh, over that?” you snicker. This argument wasn’t going anywhere. 

You both decide the rooms based on a game of “scissors, paper, stone”, which resulted in you winning and getting the room on the left, and Johnny crumpled on the floor in defeat, being the dramatic best friend you’d known for all this while.

After moving into your desired rooms and unpacking, you both discuss roommate duties over an Indian takeout lunch. “I think that the cleanliness of our own rooms as well as laundry should be our own individual responsibilities,” Johnny begins. 

You nod, agreeing with your friend. “For the other stuff, what about a weekly rotation? This week I can do cooking, while you do dishes. But for the other stuff…”

“We’ll split it,” Johnny decides. “So this week maybe you can sweep the floor and empty the trash, and I’ll clean the bathroom and do mopping? Maybe I should do groceries too, since you’re cooking already. So what do you think, Your Highness?” he finishes with a mock bow to you, waiting for your approval. 

You laugh at the title he gave to you at the end, but approve of his suggestions. “Sure! I’ll write them all down on a piece of paper, then we can use one of those fridge magnets to put this on the fridge”.

And that commenced your experience of living with one of your all-time best friends. 

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥ ⋆

“Yo bro, I just got a sick idea”.

You look up from your breakfast of toast with butter and coconut jam (Johnny had gotten lazy that morning and just made plain toast), and raise an eyebrow at the boy in front of you. He’s currently scrolling through his phone, seemingly engrossed in something. “And that is…?” you ask, cocking an eyebrow up while trying to hide the suspicion creeping into your voice. 

Unfortunately, Johnny knew you too well, and knew you had your reservations already. “Don’t worry man! I was just thinking, we could get Ikea desks for our rooms and assemble them together, since our rooms don’t have desks,” he mumbles through a mouthful of his own toast — topped with honey and butter. 

Alarm bells go off in your head immediately, alerting you that your friend’s “sick idea” probably might not be that great. “I don’t know, man…we’re like bulls in a china shop. What makes you think we can assemble a desk, let alone two desks?” you question.

“C’mon, it’s just like, Ikea DIY. How hard could it be?” Johnny argues. 

“Why not just get desks that have already been assembled?” you suggest. 

“Nah, if we were to get DIY desks that’d be cheaper, because we’re assembling it ourselves instead of the people in the factory,” Johnny reasons. 

“I’m not sure about this…” 

And so begins another round of the playful arguments you’ve both gotten used to since the beginning of your friendship, which Johnny won — partly because you gave in, since you knew he wouldn’t let up and you’d both be late for your first classes if the argument didn’t end somewhere. 

Now both of you are left squinting at the instruction manual of the first Ikea desk, while blindly screwing parts together. 

“Dude, watch it, it’s gonna — agh!” Johnny’s panicked yell makes you jump and drop the instruction manual, which you were previously poring over for the umpteenth time before the desk collapsed, missing you by a hair’s breadth. 

“What the heck, bro!” you exclaim, jaw still seemingly glued to the floor from shock.

“I’m sorry,” Johnny apologises, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. “Gosh, I didn’t know Ikea furniture was this hard to put together”.

“Yeah, who was the one who said ‘C’mon, it’s just like, Ikea DIY?’” you snort, reminding him of his words over breakfast earlier in the week.

“Shut up,” he groans. “I’m starting to wish I could eat my words. Nevermind, let’s do this again. What do the instructions say again?”

“So first, we’ve gotta find this wooden board. Then, we put four screws into it…” 

It takes about two more hours, and multiple glasses of ice-cold coke zero, but you both finally finish putting together the first desk. “Now that’s what I call a true masterpiece!” Johnny declares, stepping back from the completed desk and dramatically dusting off his hands. “Dude, we’re basically ready for marriage now that we can assemble Ikea furniture without killing each other in the process,” he jokes, swirling the ice cubes in his glass.

Having been his friend for years, you’re used to him making such jokes, so you don’t expect the wave of butterflies that sweeps over you when those words reach your ears. However, you brush it off and lightly smack his shoulder. “Don’t speak so fast — you almost let the desk collapse on me! Besides, we’ve got one more desk to assemble,” you remind, pointing at the second heap of wooden boards and metal frames laid on the floor in front of you.

“Oh, dammit”.

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥ ⋆

One thing that sets you and Johnny aside from other roommates could be your habit of leaving little notes for each other on the fridge. Be it to update the other on location, remind the other about undone chores, or ask the other to pick something up from the store, every day, without fail, the fridge would be filled with these little notes — it had become a personal bulletin board of sorts for the two of you.

How it started? After this one day, when you came home in a state of awful stress due to the sheer amount of work your professors had loaded on you, and your dead phone wasn’t helping your situation. Thus, you decide to simply rip a piece of paper off a notepad, and scribble out a note for Johnny to let him know where to find you, before sticking it to the fridge with a magnet. 

I’m at home, just in my room. Very busy today. As soon as Johnny gets home, your note on the fridge catches his attention when he walks into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of milk, and he decides to check on you.

No sooner than two seconds after he knocked the door came your tiny reply of “come in”. “Dude, what’s that awful smell-“ Johnny begins as soon as he enters. The sight that greets him is you seated at your desk with your hoodie up, staring at your computer with your palms cupping your face. Beside you is an unfinished venti cup of iced coffee, and your favourite cinnamon scented candle — the culprit behind that “awful smell”. He knew the scented candle was something you used in order to destress, so all of those things signalled to him that you were having a less-than-ideal time. “Hey, you good?” Johnny asks, making his way over and plopping in the chair beside you, noting the way your eyebrows were furrowed and your eyes were glazed over with a downcast expression. 

“Yes, all is fine and dandy. Totally don’t have an eight-page essay due tomorrow and biology and math tests the whole of next week that I haven’t studied for”. With sarcasm dripping from your tone, you make your predicament known to Johnny. 

“Ouch. That’s rough,” Johnny hums, looking over at your computer screen as he racks his brain for ways to help you. That’s when he realises that the essay topic you’re on is very similar to one he’s done before. “Hey, I actually did this essay last semester. Would you like to read mine? Maybe you can refer to it to help you with your own,” he suggests. “I mean, you could even use it and just change a few sentences. Doubt the professor would notice”.

You turn to properly face him this time. “Really?”

“Yeah, it’s no problem. I can just email you the document,” Johnny adds. "After this, I can study math with you and help you. Sorry I can't help with biology, since I don't take it". 

“Oh my goodness, LIFESAVER! Thank you so much John!” you exclaim, the relief visible on your face as your features relaxed into a grateful smile. You really were thankful to your friend — if not for him, you’d still be stuck on the third page of your essay, not knowing how to go on. 

“No problem, y/n. Just helping you out,” he answers with a grin. “What about after all your tests finish next week, we do something to relax?” he suggests. “My own tests finish then too”.

“Sounds good!” you reply.

Which is how both of you end up on the couch with Johnny, legs tangled up in a pile of blankets, savouring the delicious pizza you both ordered and laughing over what could well be your hundredth episode of Brooklyn-99, glad that the hectic semester was going to end before you knew it. 

It was in times like these, your best friend’s presence brought you a warm sense of comfort, like warm peppermint tea in stormy weather. Somehow, with him, the world seemed much less overwhelming and easier to take on.

What you didn’t know was, Johnny felt the exact same way about you. 

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥ ⋆

Rain poured and lightning flashed angrily in the gloomy skies outside the window — but even that could not compare to the storm in your heart. To say you were frantic with worry would be an understatement. Walking over to the fridge, you re-read the note that he’d left on the fridge for you.

I’ve got basketball practice today, so I’ll be home at about 4 pm today. 

It’s now 5: 30 pm — one and a half hours past the time stated on the note. The fact that he wasn’t picking up your calls too wasn’t helping. 

Just as you think you’re about to lose your mind, the jangling of keys in the lock forces you to snap your head in the direction of the door, which opens to reveal none other than Johnny. He’s soaked to the bone, clothes uncomfortably clinging to every inch of him, bag slung over his shoulder. “Johnny! What happened, why were you not picking up my calls?” a flurry of questions tumbles out of your mouth as you hurry to take his bag from him and pass him a towel to dry himself with.

“Sorry, y/n. Practice was extended by more than an hour, and I forgot my umbrella,” he sighs as he gratefully accepts the towel from you and begins drying his hair. 

“My goodness, John. To think that was the first thing I reminded you to bring today,” you reply, facepalming at your friend’s absentmindedness. “Quick, go take a bath — I don’t want you to fall sick,” you add, and he complies.

Unfortunately, the damage had been done. The next morning, you wake up to this note on the fridge: Now sicko, so I’m stuck in my room. Don’t worry about me though, lel.

Johnny was now curled up under the covers, running a temperature and nose running like a tap. As his roommate and best friend, you took it upon yourself to take care of him. 

That afternoon as soon as you get home, you prepare some soup and rice for Johnny, and portion them into bowls. Setting both bowls onto a tray, you carry the tray to Johnny’s room before knocking on the door, entering when you hear a weak “come in”.

“Johnny, wake up and have something to eat before taking your medicine,” you say as you set the tray down on his bedside table. 

“Mmph, wanna sleep,” he mumbles, laying his head back down on the pillow and shutting his eyes again. 

“Eat lunch first, then you can sleep all you want,” you assert, gentle but firm. “It’s lotus root and pork rib soup with pumpkin rice, so you should be able to get it down with no problem”. He obliges, and you prop a pillow up against his headboard so that he can sit comfortably. 

“Mm, delicious,” Johnny comments, slurping up a spoonful of soup and taking a mouthful of the rice. “Thanks, y/n”.

“Anytime, Johnny. I know you’d do the same for me”. His voice, though now coarse and raspy due to sickness, still carried the same familiar warmth you’d grown so fond of throughout friendship. Your heart fluttered and pounded at his words — which you realised was now becoming a far too common occurrence. 

You sit beside him as he eats, silence being the only thing audible apart from Johnny’s slurping and chewing sounds. “You know, y/n,” he suddenly says, breaking the silence. 

“What?”

“The way you’ve been taking care of me the past few days…it gives me ‘wife vibes’,” he remarks as you give him his medicine. 

“Elaborate, please,” you request, hiding your surprise at his comment.

"I mean…look, cooking for me, making sure I take my medicine, checking on me whenever you can…is that not what a wife does?" he reasons, gulping down some water. “Also, the way you blew up my phone with calls when I was late from basketball practice, that’s something a worried wife would do”. 

“Psh,” you scoff, rolling your eyes good-naturedly. “I’m just looking out for you as any good roommate would do. Besides, funny you say that — none of my friends think I give off wife vibes or mum vibes, even”.

Johnny raises an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yeah, to them I give off joker vibes and clown vibes,” you explain with a laugh. 

“I didn’t know”. Johnny says, surprise evident on his face. His expression quickly morphs into a smirk, though. “Then I should count myself lucky, since I’m the only one among our friends that have seen this ‘wife’ side of you. Trust me, your future spouse is gonna be very very lucky”. 

You simply chuckle, picking up his dishes and scurrying into the kitchen to put them away in the sink in an attempt to hide the blush on your cheeks that had darkened one or two shades. He thinks I’d make a good wife! Inside, you’re screaming with joy as you walk back to his room with a fresh glass of water, and put it on his bedside table. “I’d light you one of my favourite scented candles, but I know you hate it,” you remark, and both of you share a laugh as you remember how he nearly gagged the first time he came in and smelt the cinnamon scented candle. “Rest well, Johnny”. You exit his room and quietly shut the door.

As you’re leaving his room, something clicks inside of you: maybe, just maybe, you were developing a crush on your roommate and best friend.

And maybe it had started way earlier than you thought. But you felt it was best to keep your feelings under wraps, lest you jeopardize your precious friendship.

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥ ⋆

Johnny finds himself startled by your shrill scream one fine afternoon, and worried that you got hurt, he rushes out of his room and into the kitchen to check on you. "Y/n, what happened? Are you hurt?"

His eyes follow the direction your trembling finger is pointing at, and his gaze lands on a brown, oval-shaped object, with two antennae and six hairy, formidable-looking legs. "C-cockroach!" you stammer, shivering like a winter leaf. Cockroaches were one of your worst fears, and Johnny knew that well. 

Sighing, Johnny puts his hands on your shoulders and leads you out of the kitchen. "Stay outside, I'll deal with this piece of shit," he instructs, walking off to grab the can of insecticide in the storeroom. You watch from behind the kitchen door as he sprays relentlessly at the creepy-crawly, until it turns turtle and breathes its last. "Get me a tissue," he requests, and you comply. Picking the cockroach up with the tissue, he flings it into the bin and then cleans up the areas where he sprayed the insecticide. "This-is-J-S-95. Enemy-has-been-neutralized," he says in a robotic voice, releasing the fear in your heart and replacing it with amusement as you guffaw at his robot impression.

"Thank you so much, John. I thought I'd never be able to get my glass of water in peace," you let out a relieved chuckle. "Sorry to scare you with my screaming".

"No problem. I was more worried that you got hurt," he answers. 

"Tell you what, as a thank you I'll cook your favourite dish for dinner next week, as soon as our groceries are restocked," you suggest. 

"Sure thing. It's the least you can do after nearly giving me a heart attack," he jokes. 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever John,” you chuckle, rolling your eyes and moving to pour yourself a glass of water. 

Funny I said that, everytime I’m around her, my heart pounds so fast I feel like I’m having cardiac arrest, Johnny thinks to himself as he strolls out of the kitchen. 

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥ ⋆

Perhaps, deciding to sing in the shower is far from a wise choice — even if you think you’re alone at home.

But that’s exactly what you decided to do. After coming home from a stressful day at school, all you wanted to do was take a warm shower, use your favourite shampoo, and then get to tackling whatever assignments you had. And because Johnny wasn’t home, you thought it would be a safe bet to relieve some of that stress by belting your heart out to songs. 

You finish your private shower concert with your own rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You”, and exit the bathroom to find a new note on the fridge. Bro, great voice, you should’ve sang louder. I would’ve had a much better recording :)

He was home? I didn’t know! A mildly panicked thought zooms through your mind. You unpin the note from the fridge, and go off in search of your roommate. “Johnny Suh, if you really recorded me singing earlier, I’m gonna freaking kill you!” you exclaim, heading in the direction of his room. Sure enough, your own voice comes blasting through the door, eliciting a sigh from you. Still, you knock his door and wait for him to consent to your entry before opening the door and lunging towards him, pretending to strangle him. “You! Delete the recording, now!” you demand, making a finger gun and holding it to his head. 

“Not in a million years,” he replies, smirking as he holds his phone to his chest. “C’mon man, you sounded glorious, why would I not want a memento of your fantastic voice? Besides…” his voice trails off. “It would make great blackmail material!” he finishes, lips curving into a triumphant grin.

“You piece of-“ you attempt to snatch the phone from him, but he stands up and holds the phone up high. Though you’re not that short, Johnny has a height that can match Goliath’s, and you’re not able to reach his phone. “Fine. If you don’t delete that recording, I’ll retract my promise of cooking your favourite dish for tomorrow,” you huff. 

“Okay, fine, fine!” Johnny concedes, holding up his hands in surrender. Lowering his phone in front of your face, he unlocks it, opens his files and then makes a show of deleting the audio clip. “There. Happy now, milady?” he asks, waving his phone in front of your face. 

“Yes, very good,” you approve. “Congratulations then, you saved yourself,” you declare, striding out of the room. 

Little did you know, that night Johnny retrieved the audio clips from his phone’s recycling bin and listened to them, smiling to himself at how goofy and adorable he found you. He realised how idiotic he would have looked if you or anyone else were there, but hey — he was alone in the privacy of his room, with only the moonlight streaming through the window to accompany him.

Gosh, since when was I so down bad for her? He asks himself as he sets his phone on the bedside table and drifts off to sleep. 

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥ ⋆

“So this is what your apartment looks like? That’s nice!” Taeyong compliments his friend on his apartment as he steps in, taking a look at the place. The last semester had rolled around really quickly, and Johnny had invited his close friends and group mates, Taeyong and Yuta, over to the apartment to work on a year-end group project. 

“Yeah, y/n and I decorated it together, is it nice?” Johnny asks, heart swelling with some amount of pride.

“Yeah, the ‘married couple’ vibes are immaculate,” Yuta says, eyeing the pictures on the wall, most of which were pictures you and Johnny took when you hung out together. 

Johnny doesn’t miss the teasing lilt in Yuta’s voice, and rolls his eyes at him. “We’re not married or in any form of relationship, we’re just roommates,” he reminds Yuta while leading his friends into the kitchen. “You guys want anything to drink?” he asks kindly. While Taeyong simply opts for water, Yuta doesn’t answer, instead focusing on reading the note you’d left for Johnny on the fridge. “I’m at Wendy’s house with Seulgi to work on our year-end project. By the way thanks for killing the cockroach for me last week, I’ll cook your favourite dish for dinner tonight when I get home! Aww,” Yuta remarks, turning to smirk at Johnny. “So, you kill the bugs while y/n cooks as a thank you? If that doesn’t sound married, I don’t know what does”.

“Yuta, I already said, we’re not married or in a relationship. I mean, I do like her, but neither of us plan to-“ Johnny is cut off by Taeyong literally spitting out his water. It’s in that moment that Johnny realises that he let that detail slip, and his hands instinctively fly to his mouth. 

“Wait, sorry, what? Say that again?” Taeyong prods. 

Johnny huffs and shakes his head. “Nevermind. Pretend I said nothing. Let’s just go get our project done”.

“Y’know, if you really like her, I think you should tell her,” Taeyong comments later as they’re wrapping up their project. 

“Nah bro. I’m sure she doesn’t like me back that way”. Johnny shakes his head. 

“How would you know?” Yuta questions.

“C’mon man, we’ve both been nothing more than best friends for a good chunk of our lives. No way she sees me as more than that,” Johnny argues, but both his friends are not convinced. 

“You’re not her, you wouldn’t really know,” Taeyong points out.

“That’s true. But I’d rather keep quiet than jeopardize our friendship by telling her,” Johnny replies. 

“Jeez, the signs are so obvious. I can’t believe you literally live under the same roof as her, yet you’re oblivious to all of them,” Yuta groans. 

“There are signs?” Johnny questions, raising an eyebrow. 

“Bro, I’ve caught her staring at you multiple times in Chemistry class. I sit beside you, and I can literally feel her gaze on you,” Taeyong says.  

“And even if she’s tired thanks to a lack of morning coffee, the moment you walk in — boom, her mood changes. Suddenly, she’s a can of beans and I can hear her even from the farthest end of the room. How do you not pick up on these things?” Yuta asks, not sure whether to be amazed or unimpressed by his friend’s oblivion. 

“She really does those things?” Johnny asks. He tries to hide his surprise, but his furrowed brows and agape mouth give it away.

Yuta facepalms. “Oh my gosh, you’re unbelievable”.

But it didn’t matter. Now that that information was in Johnny’s hands, he was now planning out his next move. 

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥ ⋆

“And…we’re done for today! Great work y’all!” As three of you wrap up your work for the day, Wendy affirms the whole group.

“So how’s it been living with Johnny?” Wendy asks you as the three of you sit down at her table with the packet drinks she offered.

“It’s been going well so far,” you answer, taking a sip of your drink. “It’s really great to have him around the house so far”. 

“Why? So you both can get more couple time together?” Seulgi looks up from her drink with a grin on her face.

“Oh please, Johnny and I aren’t married,” you scoff. “We’ve been nothing but best friends for so long”. 

“That could change,” Wendy pipes up, and you shoot her a joking glare. Maybe you should never have told them you were beginning to crush on your best friend. “Okay but seriously, y/n, when are you going to tell him you like him?” 

“Never ever,” you reply, hoping your monotone could convey the finality of that decision to your friends. “We’re just friends, always will be, because he doesn’t like me back that way”.

“Ah ah, that’s where you’re wrong,” Seulgi argues. “You don’t happen to be a mind-reader, do you, y/n?”

“No, but-“

“Then how would you know Johnny doesn’t feel the same way? The only way to know for sure is to tell him how you feel first, and then see how he responds,” Seulgi cuts you off and offers her advice.

“But if he doesn’t feel the same way it’ll make things awkward between both of us,” you object, voicing your concerns.

“And if he does? y/n, if none of you make the first move, Johnny could well end up with someone else. I’ve seen Minjeong ogling at him already, you know,” Wendy adds. The last bit of information wasn’t true, but knowing that three of you shared a common dislike towards said girl, Wendy spun the tale in a bid to jolt you into action faster. 

“Wait, are you serious?” You stare at Wendy and Seulgi with wide eyes, and feel your heart sink to the pit of your stomach as they nod. 

“So, unless you want that bitch to get to your Prince Charming first, I suggest you quicken things and confess,” Seulgi advises.

That piece of information fills you with a new kind of determination, and you decide to take your chances. “Okay, that does it. I’m telling him how I feel, and if he doesn’t like me back that way, I guess I’ll see if he wants to remain friends or drift apart,” you decide. 

“Atta girl. How do you plan to do it?” Seulgi inquires. 

You pause in your tracks. “I don’t know, actually,” you admit. “I don’t really have any plan in mind”.

Three of you sit in silence, trying to formulate a plan for your confession. “Hmm, Christmas is coming soon, right? You could write him a note and attach it to his Christmas gift,” Wendy suggests. 

“Ooh, or you could just attach the note to the fridge on Christmas morning, when Johnny’s still sleeping,” Seulgi offers an alternative. “Then you park yourself in a spot you both like, maybe the cafe that you both frequent, and tell him to come find you there after he reads the note if he wants to talk”.

You process the suggestions that they just gave you, but eventually decide to go with Seulgi’s idea. “Thanks guys! Guess I have a plan now,” you smile.

“No problem. Girls help girls,” Wendy answers with a laugh. “Let us know how it goes”.

⋆*̣̥☆·͙̥‧❄•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥˟͙☃˟͙‧̩̥·‧•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥•̥̩̥͙‧·‧̩̥❄‧·͙̥̣☆*̣̥ ⋆

On Christmas eve, you learn one thing — the person who coined the saying “easier said than done” was absolutely right. 

You had been so confident the days leading up to Christmas — writing and re-writing your note to him, asking Wendy and Seulgi for advice, and rehearsing what you would say to him after he reads the note. 

But now, at 8 am in the morning, you’re standing in front of your fridge, clad in your favourite winter coat and beanie, hand moving to place the note on the fridge door before removing it again. 

Is this really a good idea? What if he rejects me? Will I be able to handle the pain that comes after? A million questions race through your head as you contemplate your decision. Screw it, let’s just do this, you decide, and reach for a magnet on the fridge.

A hand comes out of nowhere and reaches out for the same magnet. “Oh, I’m sorry, you can use that,” a familiar voice sounds next to your ear, making you jump. 

“Johnny! Why are you up so early?” you ask, genuinely surprised. Johnny’s not a morning person — he’ll take any opportunity to sleep in. To see him up so early in the morning on a holiday was probably an event that should be recorded in history books.

“Oh, erm, I just — have somewhere to be later,” Johnny garbles out a reply somewhat hesitantly as he fiddles with the earmuffs around his neck. “I wanted to leave you a note before I left, but I suppose I can just pass it to you now?”

“Sure thing,” you answer, taking the piece of paper from him. You assumed it would be something simple, such as asking you to pick up something from the store or to let you know where he’d be. 

“Do you mind passing me yours as well? I can just read it now,” Johnny suggests before you can properly register the first word on his note. 

You hesitate, thinking your options over. If you told him no and just left the note on the fridge before scurrying off, he would still read it anyway. If you told him yes and complied — same result. Oh well. “Here you go,” you say, praying that he doesn’t see how your hands are trembling ever so slightly. Your heart thuds like a galloping horse as you watch him scan your note — the moment of truth was near. In a bid to distract yourself, you read his note to you.

Y/n:

I’ve kept this secret to myself for way too long, and I need to get it off my chest, so I’ll say it here now — I love you, as more than just my best friend. 

There’s so many things about you that made me fall for you. For one, we share the same sense of humour — you’re the only person I know who will talk about weird shit with me the whole night until we’re in stitches from laughing, wondering if we need mental help. I really appreciate the things you do for me, be it taking care of me when I’m sick, cooking my favourite dishes, or remembering even small details that I mention to you. Another reason is that you’ve been my best friend for so long, there’s this level of comfort and understanding that’s exclusive to the both of us. I don’t know — there’s something about being in your presence that brings me this warm sense of comfort and joy, and it’s more than words can describe. Of course there’s more reasons, but if I went on this note will never end. 

I know that this is very sudden, and I understand that you may need time to think it over, so take as long as you need, and meet me at the cafe beside school when you’re ready to talk. Merry Christmas, y/n.

You read and re-read the note multiple times with what you’re sure is a visible gawk on your face. Johnny likes me too? Is this a dream? You pinch yourself hard, and soon realise you’re really not dreaming. 

“Dude, you like me too?” Johnny’s voice disrupts your train of thought, and you shyly nod as you look up from the piece of paper, now slightly crumpled due to the tightness of your grip on it. Disbelief, surprise and then joy make their way onto his face in quick succession, before he lunges for you like a golden retriever and pulls you into a big hug. “Oh my gosh, I was so afraid you didn’t feel the same way, and that I’d ruin our friendship,” he mumbles. 

“Honestly, same here John,” you reply, head resting on his shoulder. “But I’m glad now I know, because I can finally confidently say that I love you — as more than just my best friend”. Your next move surprises Johnny — before you both break the hug, you press a chaste kiss to his lips. His stunned expression amuses you to no end, and you end up chortling at how he raises his fingers to his lips in disbelief. 

But when he overcomes the surprise, he pulls you in once more for another kiss, this time one that’s longer and a bit deeper. You savour everything about the kiss, from the feel of his lips on yours to the taste of his chocolate lip balm. 

“Wow, what a way to start our Christmas,” Johnny chuckles as you both pull away for oxygen. “Merry Christmas, y/n. I love you”.

You smile at your friend, heart bursting with more joy, love and warmth than you’d ever felt in your whole life. “Merry Christmas, Johnny. I love you”. 

taglist: @moonsclover @bangchan-fairy

[captain-kelli]

Hot & Cold

Title: Hot & Cold

Pairing: CEO!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Type: One-Shot 

Word Count: 1,741

Summary: There’s something about an old flame that keeps Bucky warm in December. 

Warnings: angst-lite, language, alcohol, implied smut

A/N: Not my first piece of writing in almost a year!! Let’s see if I’ve still got it…

The windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling of Bucky’s Manhattan office, giving a view of the snow that poured down. It was the first storm of the season, early by Bucky’s judgment, and he wondered how it’d affect holiday travelers. How it’d affect you. If maybe, just maybe, you were in town.

Not that he’d know, he hadn’t spoken to you in years, but his thoughts always drifted to you when winter arrived in New York. He loved to reminisce of that time the two of you hurried through the city in the freezing cold on your way back to his apartment only to strip off every piece of clothing to fuck on the floor by the fireplace. 

That memory would stay on repeat in his mind throughout December. 

Even in the conference room of his office during his quarterly board meeting. While the chairman discussed profit margins and next year’s growth strategy. While the rest of his executive team demonstrated plan after plan for each of their departments. While the snow started to fall outside.

Even then. Especially then.

He remembered how the temperature of your body warmed under his own while the two of you lied next to the fire. How you whimpered softly while his lips roamed over every part of you. How you lied in his arms for hours afterward, revealing every secret you had.

It had been years and still - it was still you that he thought of in December. Dreaming of what could’ve been.

The office cleared out hours ago, but Bucky didn’t have a reason to go home. No one was waiting for him. Instead, he stayed and watched the snowstorm from his executive suite. Work had consumed everything these last few years - his time, his attention, his love. He decided then that he had earned a night off and picked up his phone.

Scrolling through a list of contacts, his thumb hovered over your name and he hesitated. Did you want to hear from him? Would you laugh it off with your friends? Show it to a new man you were with?

Fuck it, he didn’t get this far in life by playing it safe.

“You in town?” It was short, no need for appearing desperate.

He tossed the phone onto the desk and turned back to the window. He wouldn’t wait around to see if your read receipts were still on or if you started typing the minute his name came across your screen. No second-guessing the decision. He could wait. He waited this long.

Minutes went by while he watched cabs pile up behind a light and shoppers rush on the sidewalk with bags hanging on their arms. He considered just getting back to work, maybe scope out a high-level budget for the next fiscal year.

Then Bucky heard the phone vibrate on the desk.

“For the night. Flight delayed out of JFK until morning.”  He noticed you kept the reply to the point, but you did reply. If there was any hope for a reunion, it was on him. Deservingly so, he supposed. He was the one that let you go. 

In the beginning, the two of you were on fire, chemistry that could burn down entire worlds. And for reasons Bucky couldn’t quite remember, things turned to ice. Time passed and you found someone else, but he heard that it didn’t last.

“Let’s meet up…for old time’s sake.”

His energy rose with the anticipation of seeing you - he paced the length of his office while loosening his tie, tossed his suit jacket over an armchair, threw the phone back on the desk after checking it one too many times.

“I’m close to your office, I’ll swing by… if you’re there like I expect you to be.”

Bucky ignored the sting of your guess and called the doorman downstairs to prepare him for your arrival. While he waited, he found a bottle of scotch in a cabinet and poured two glasses, figuring it couldn’t hurt. He was back at the window when he heard the knock.

“Hey, stranger.” When he spun around, he found you leaning on the door of his office, snug in a camel coat and cashmere scarf. It nearly transported him in time, but he snapped himself out of it.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes.” Bucky kept it casual as he strode across the room to hug you and brush a kiss across your cheek. The perfume you were wearing was one he didn’t recognize, but the scent was intoxicating all the same.

“You don’t look so bad yourself. The CEO suite suits you.” You tugged at his loosened tie before strolling to the window he’s looked out all day. “Has quite the view.”

The view and the title were nothing compared to you - something he wished he would’ve realized years ago. Bucky resisted the regret and dragged the drink glasses from the table, handing one to you.

“Never really gets old,” he lied.

The two of you stood side-by-side in front of the window pane, close enough where Bucky could see the twinkle in your eyes that always came ‘round whenever it snowed. Comfortable in the silence, minutes went by before Bucky asked to take your coat.

“Oh, no. That’s okay - I can’t stay long. I’ve got to find somewhere to pull in for the night. Every hotel I’ve called has been booked solid,” you said after handing him your glass. 

“Stay with me.”

It wasn’t a question.

And it wasn’t exactly a demand.

It was an obvious conclusion from a man who had grown accustomed to getting what he wanted without protest. So when you declined his offer, it was as if someone had thrown ice atop his head.

“C’mon…you said it yourself, you have nowhere to stay and we both know there aren’t going to be any more flights out tonight. Just stay with me…”

He grabbed your hand then and you quickly pulled it away. “Bucky…don’t…”

You were headed out the door and Bucky had to think fast.

“One glass of an Italian red. Your pick. And then you can go - I swear. Just one glass of red to have the conversation you know we need to have.”

Bucky’s apartment was only a few blocks from his office in the Financial District. The short walk there was a cold one. The wind whipped between the buildings and snow dampened your coat, yet you refused to reach for his arm - despite the warmth and comfort it offered. You could withstand the cold for a few minutes.

When you arrived, you were stunned by his place. The new condo was palatial compared to the old studio you remembered in Brooklyn… 

The studio had brick walls and cracked ceilings while the condo was pristine and monochromatic. The studio's landlord hung up on Bucky that time the heat went out in the dead of winter while the condo’s landlord, you suspected, kissed Bucky’s ass whenever given the chance. The view out of the studio’s lone window was of the back alley’s dumpster while the condo overlooked Wall Street.

Sure, the penthouse condo was nice. You could see the allure. 

But the Brooklyn studio held all of the happy memories you clung on to for dear life for so long.

And it wasn’t just the apartment. His hairstyle was different, he grew a beard, drank pretentious liquor, and even talked differently.

You never expected Bucky to be the same man you loved all those seasons ago, but you did expect to see some resemblance there. The differences had you wondering if it was a mistake to go to his place at all.

“A Tuscan blend…should’ve known this would be the one,” Bucky interrupted your thoughts when handing you the glass of wine. Your eyebrows arched at the sight of the generous pour and you made a note to take small sips.

However, the small sips turned into a second glass that was just as full. And then he opened another bottle. 

Somewhere around your fourth glass, you found yourself on Bucky’s living room floor next to what could’ve been a mini Rockefeller Christmas tree with all of its lights and a fireplace he lit with a remote. 

As it turned out, Bucky kept something from the life you had together - a vintage record player you gave him for his birthday with a handful of vinyls. His album collection grew in your absence, so you flipped through the new additions, noticing sentimental nods to your past together. Finding one of your shared favorites, you put it on.

“Are you ready for that talk now?” he asked. 

He was lounging comfortably on the couch, looking every bit the part of a confident, patient man in love and it startled you. Among all the changes, the way he looked at you was the same. 

“No, I rather feel like dancing,” was your response. And you did. You placed your empty glass on the table and stood to sway alone alongside the tree. Bucky considered you silently for a brief time before standing to take your hand. This time, you allowed him to.

The two of you quietly twirled around the living room to a lullaby written a lifetime ago. The defenses you built against the man holding you in his arms melted a little more with every note, even more so when he hummed the words.

It was then you admitted the wine was absolutely a mistake.

After the song finished, the record’s needle spun over the vinyl and you slowly backed away from Bucky. “What talk?”

At first, he hung his head as if ashamed. Then he looked up at you with hooded eyes in quiet consideration of the words he’d choose next. He finally broke the silence with, “I never stopped loving you.”

His second chance unraveled in minutes. Sobriety came fast for you both once you delivered a blunt refusal and made a swift exit. No amount of begging or clarification could have convinced you to stay. 

In solitude again, this time it wasn’t his choice and he struggled to understand how that came to be.

“I’ll always love you, Bucky, just not this version of you. I’m sorry…”

He chased the money and the status and the success for a long time. What woman wouldn’t want that?

“Her,” he thought.

A chill colder than the December night’s air ran down his back at the realization.

[the-bjd-community-confess]

Expense, recast rant, grown-ass people behaving badly

‘Legit dolls are too expensive.’ I call BS, there are plenty of nice lower price dolls that everyone welcomes within this hobby. Most people also have a lot of respect and admiration for hobby skills and are happy to see cute dolls regardless of the cost of the base doll. Yes, it may take you a long damn time to save for a more expensive type or to have the collection of multiple dolls that you may crave but you can either wait and save or get a less expensive starter doll in the meantime and both are ok. Everyone plays at their level in life. I bought a house and a car that are reasonable for my income, I don’t make myself miserable always chasing something more because that’s a never-ending battle, there’s always something better, something more. I budget my extra money in a way that makes sense for my lifestyle, neither over-spending nor being a miser. I have established a reasonable savings and investment plan because I know unplanned expenses can be devastating and because it’s very satisfying to invest and watch my money earn more money. But all of that is just normal adulting stuff so my big point here is that it’s questionable that anyone but a younger teen wouldn’t have learned all of this too and behave accordingly - buying the legit dolls that are within their means also. So that’s why I’m really surprised to see grown-ass people acting crazy over insisting that they are entitled to these bootleg dolls and that others are big meanies for saying ‘Hey, don’t post those here, don’t bring those in - they aren’t part of our hobby.’ Do they also think they can bring their fake Gucci bag to the luxury handbag forum, their rowboat to the yacht club and their KIA to the BMW road trip meets? Usually not, they know better, right?.

Many people are always going to have more dolls, more expensive or rare dolls, more traveling time and money to attend doll events and meets, maybe more stuff for their dolls, possibly more room and a better camera too, the list goes on. But if they are buying within their budget, then that’s the right level of spending for them. Mine is going to be different, maybe a lot more than some people but probably always far less than others so comparisons aren't really even useful. If something doesn’t fit my budget or my life, I need to work around it. Not try to unfairly game the system (buying cheap recasts so my collection is bigger and seems better) or take unethical shortcuts (cheating doll artists out of their fair earnings because I want their thing but won’t actually pay them for it so I go pay for a cheap stolen copy). That’s just bad and wrong thinking. 

And yet here we are, still dealing with having to push back on people who buy recast dolls after all this time. It hasn’t blown over or gotten any better. The hobby at large needs to take a better ‘no bootlegs’ stance and actually condemn this behavior. There’s no real neutral, the jury is in, recasts are a blight on the hobby, they make legit prices go up, drive hobby artists out of business or into a mode of releasing in a more limited and controllable way. The issue itself creates division among the members so if you tolerate them, if you were one who thought you could remain neutral, you see how they have now bloomed up like weeds into a multi-million dollar business for just one recast company, right? That overshadows almost all of the legit companies but maybe Volks and probably tops over the income of all the solo western bjd artists combined. This will only become worse if we continue to tolerate the recasts, as the western economy heads into recession, as doll artists continue to quit, restrict their production, raise their prices. 

It’s also a giant social pain in the ass. Friend gets a recast? Either the friendship is now fucked if you stand your ground and actively uphold your pro-artist only values or now you are called on to compromise those values, become recast neutral and to not criticize their doll, to be tolerant of their bootleg choice, and that’s both in your friendship and also within your hobby space. And of course they will talk about it because you are doll friends, right? So now a recast shares time and takes up space within your shared hobby. And since it’s now fine to have one, your friend will probably collect more (you notice they rarely stop at one, right?) and now the friend may attract another friend or 2 who may also have a shared recast sculpt, you get the picture. But most people are ‘too nice to say no’, and so that’s how they end up sliding down into a group full of recast owners if they don’t take a real pro-artist stand. Even worse if you are an artist yourself and you keep silent, if you don’t speak up and advocate for your fellow artists. We’ve even seen other artists buying recasts now. What level of diseased thinking is that? Bad enough to have these little bands of thieves lurking in their bootleg groups but when another artist joins in, that’s some next level ish.

Ok, I’m done. If you are legit-only, what’s your response to your doll friend buying a recast. Has it happened to you? 

~Anonymous

[lolipopchainscw]

( dilraba dilmurat, 32, cis woman, she/her ) — Look who it is! If you take a look at our database, you’ll find that DOTTIE ALIMJAN is an ACTRESS that works in SECTOR 9 (formerly sector 1). According to the file, they’re a mutant with the power of MYCOKINESIS and MIASMA EMISSION. That must be why they’re SPIRITED and CONTROLLING. If you ask me, they remind me of the moxie of a vintage comic strip, a red ribbon looped through a high ponytail, a veneered smile, and a nasally laugh . They are affiliated with RUST & RUIN. ( beanie, 25+, EST, she/her )

basic information:

character name: Dorothy Alimjan

nickname (s): Dottie

face claim: Dilraba Dilmurat

mutation status: Gen II

birthday: March 17th

sexuality: heterosexual

moral alignment: chaotic neutral 

occupation: amateur actress, ring girl 

work sector: sector 9

affiliation: rust & ruin

3 positive traits: spirited, competitive, romantic 

3 negative traits: controlling, jealous, validation-seeking

biography (optional): Dottie is an aspiring actress whose memorable roles include: a low-budget toothpaste commercial, a reality television appearance where a shaken can of soda burst up her nose (earning her the temporary meme status of ‘Snot Rocket Girl), and a terrible soap opera that’s gained cult classic status (“General Lovers on the Boulevard”). Originally directionless apart from vague aspirations of obtaining celebrity status, she was assigned to Sector 1 upon working age. She toiled as a Scavenger, sending applications to Sector 9 whenever she was eligible. Eventually, she had either proved herself through community theater or had badged the establishment enough that her career change and living conditions were formally approved. 

questionnaire:

how do they feel about living in sol city? have they always lived there or did they travel from another settlement?

Dottie has always lived in Sol City. She holds a slight grudge against the establishment due to her previous, unglamorous occupation as a Scavenger. However, it’s where she met the man she’s currently obsessed with. It also makes for a humbling, crowd-pleasing origin story for a future superstar like herself, so she can’t be too upset over how things turned out. 

do they trust the council’s leadership? why or why not?

Dottie is wary of the amount of control the council has over its population. She feels that when the time comes, exchanges of power will be made into a very dramatic affair. Even if their world became better, could you trust the selfish hearts of men to relinquish even a fraction of their power? She understands the all-consuming urge to claw your way to the top of society – and more importantly, keep your rank at all costs.

if they chose their sector and profession, why did they make that choice? if they didn’t, why not? were they happy with their assignment or not?

Originally directionless, she felt like an alien in a world of people with natural talents. Dottie had naively assumed that wherever she was assigned, it would match their assessment of her personality and skills. The possibilities infiltrated her daydreams: perhaps she’d be a nurse who wrangled doctors into vicious love triangles or a beloved professor who looked gorgeous in a pencil skirt and blazer. The assignment to Sector 1 demoralized her. She decided that the best way to prove everyone wrong would be to claw her way to stardom. While toiling as a Scavenger, she used her downtime to study trendy online magazines, take the word of socialites as gospel, and has poured her blood, sweat, and body glitter into proving she belonged among the talented entertainers of Sector 9. 

what’s one object that they always keep on their person?

Her purse is full of crap, but she usually keeps a heart-shaped compact mirror in her arsenal of beauty supplies.

(mutant only section)

what is your character’s ability (or abilities)?

Mycokinesis: the ability to generate and manipulate fungus Miasma Emission: her lesser ability, the power to breathe out toxic gasses

are they gen i or gen ii?

Gen II

what can your character do? what are their strengths?

Mycokinesis: Dottie loves ‘mushies’, but the nitty-gritty workings of her mutation are the bane of her existence. She is not pleased to explain how her body produces spores, often secreted through: aspirated water droplets, sweat, tears, and her body’s natural oils. If she wipes her hand on an object, it will be overgrown with mushrooms within a day. At one point, the pile of tissues overflowing the dustbin when she contracted a bad flu had mutated. An adorable, semi-sentient mushroom emerged, and she sent panicked messages to her sisters that she had created a “nose baby”. Dottie cannot create living fungus consciously, so the harmless coagulation of mycelium that lives in her purse like a pet chihuahua was merely the perfect storm of premeditated conditions. 

Dottie has studied mycology to understand which strains of fungus have properties that benefit her. Among her personal interests, she has taken extensive notes on every known mushroom considered to be an aphrodisiac. Extensive research has gone into mushrooms that can be consumed for clear skin and oftentimes, she grows new strains in her living-room-turned-lab. 

The easiest application of her power is creating fungal structures and emitting spores that act as sleep aids. However, she is quite creative with how she makes the most of her ability. Other applications require more conditions and concentration. 

Dottie has not practiced her miasma emission often due to the danger it poses to the people around her. She has managed to dampen its toxicity, so that its effects are similar to carbon monoxide poisoning and more survivable. As a side effect, teeming with poisonous spores and gasses has made her hardy against many poisonous compounds. 

what can’t they do? what are their weaknesses?

Common problems she runs into are the tightrope act between creating a mild aphrodisiac versus a hallucinogenic drug that causes liver damage. For example, she once wanted her boyfriend to win against a fixed boxing match. She had breathed out harmful spores into a rivaling athlete’s protein powder with the intent of giving muscle aches and a low-grade fever. The opposing athlete had to be rushed to emergency care for severe vomiting and multiple organ damage – oopsies!

Dottie cannot create mushrooms from fiction, such as legendary ‘immortality mushrooms’ in fairytales. Altering structures can give the fungus that appearance, such as creating glowing fungus from bioluminescent strains or large, Alice in Wonderland style mushrooms as landing pads to fall on. But, these properties need some root in reality for her to exaggerate them to her needs. She can mix multiple properties together by creating a hybrid strain, but those can be volatile without practice. Case in point: that time she secretly and accidentally ruined a boxer’s whole career. It is best to assume anything she has created is at least mildly poisonous until proven otherwise. You could either get skin irritation or die of liver failure – this isn’t a gamble where the odds are in your favor.

Dottie is also dependent on the environment to some degree; she flourishes in dampness and humidity. She struggles to grow fungus in areas deprived of moisture, and any created structures will usually crack, weaken, and fail to multiply. 

Her miasma emission is a lesser ability. If breathed out in an indoor space, it can be overcome by ventilation and increased air flow. Outdoor spaces are a more difficult place to use this ability, as if she’s not directly in front of someone the miasma will spread out and not build into an effective concentration. 

is there anything else you’d like to specify about them?

She oversprays this universe’s version of Aquolina Pink Sugar :(

[average-guy-reviews]

Breakup Season

"A young man brings his girlfriend to his rural Oregon hometown to introduce her to his family, only for things to go terribly wrong upon arrival."

What would you do if you travelled to see family for the festive season and broke up with your partner the first night that you were there? How would you deal with the fallout while trying to have a regular family Christmas? That is the quandary facing Ben (Chandler Riggs, and Cassie (Samantha Isler) in this independent festive drama from director H. Nelson Tracey.

Reading the story, seeing the poster and making assumptions, I felt like I was going to be watching one of those classically cheesy Hallmark style movies. You know the kind of film, where everyone gets a happy ending, apart from the bad guy. I'm genuinely pleased to say this is not one of those. I'm not going to say too much to avoid spoilers.

Riggs and Isler are the duo facing the breakup, and the realness of their reactions really drove home icicles of recognition into my soul. The way they really nail the accuracy of this situation is impressive. Both performances are superb and deserve recognition. I only know Riggs from The Walking Dead, and I don't know Isler at all, but after this I will happily watch anything with either of them in.

Director H. Nelson Tracey has done a really solid job with a low budget movie that has genuinely made me quite emotional at times. His choices of location (inc. the main house), as well as the outdoor shots, are just on point and help highlight the family nature of the story, while providing clear delineations for the characters in their individual moments of difficulty.

Overall? I legitimately enjoyed this film far more than I expected to. It has emotional beats, family drama, some genuinely funny moments and a really decent cast. It's getting a well-earned 4/5 from me. It will be available to rent or buy on Video on Demand beginning December 6th, 2024 on the following platforms: Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon, Fandango at Home, Vubiquity/Verizon Fios, Hoopla